lay responder peer support

 The resuscitation of someone from a cardiac arrest is probably the ultimate medical emergency, with just minutes to save a life before permanent brain damage and then death occurs.

Bystander intervention into these situations is not as good as it should be but successful campaigns such as “Restart-a-Heart” are encouraging more and more to step up when needed.

This is incredibly important if we are to improve survival rates but as a layperson stepping into a resuscitation scenario, it can be a very unsettling and even traumatising experience. We need to ensure that these brave people have their needs met such as a debrief and where necessary counselling. Unfortunately, this is not currently mandated anywhere and if a layperson is experiencing issues they are usually directed to see their GP.

 Chain of Survival UK is a Facebook community is a first step in getting some help after being involved with a resuscitation attempt, whether it has a favourable outcome or not. Contacting others who have been through a similar experience can help in many ways, but professional help should be sought for those experiencing prolonged issues.  

Our community has been formed out of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK peer support which was formed in 2015 to support those affected by an unexpected and sudden cardiac arrest. This group is primarily focused on survivors and it was seen that a separate community should be formed for those that had performed or witnessed the resuscitation attempt, hence Chain of Survival UK. 

With our connections to other support providers, we are building up resources for our members that will be essential in helping you process the thoughts and emotions you have.