Midlands Air Ambulance Charity urges public to learn lifesaving skills on Restart a Heart Day

The clinical team at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity are calling on people across the West Midlands to learn basic CPR skills for Restart a Heart Day, on Monday 16th October 2023.

Restart a Heart Day raises vital awareness of the lifesaving impact that CPR and the use of public access defibrillators can achieve. The charity is encouraging local schools, groups and businesses to sign up to the charity’s free Mission Support skills sessions, which teaches CPR and how to confidently use an automated external defibrillator.

Each year, approximately 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests happen in the UK. Sadly, the chances of survival and recovery are less than 10 per cent.  If CPR is performed by bystanders the person’s chance of survival can be more than doubled. 

Learning this simple, yet vital skill ensures that patients have as much oxygen in the brain as possible for when emergency services arrive. This can help save lives like Nigel Davis’, who suffered an out of hospital cardiac arrest in July 2021 at his home in Tipton.

The CPR performed by Nigel’s brother-in-law prior to the arrival of the charity’s critical care paramedic, meant that there was enough oxygen reaching his brain to not only give him the best chance of regaining a pulse but also without any neurological damage. After the advanced interventions of the charity’s critical care paramedic, Nigel regained a pulse and made a remarkable neurological recovery.

Richard Apps, critical care paramedic and Cosford airbase lead at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “Approximately 30 per cent of the 4,500 missions we attend each year are for out of hospital cardiac arrests. Chest compressions are such a simple skill to learn and by taking part in our Mission Support skills sessions, you will be helping save lives in your local area by having the confidence to perform effective CPR.”

You can register your interest in the charity’s Mission Support sessions by email Kay Starkey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..