Home   News   Article

County council backs more defibrillators, bleed kits and opiate overdose help in Hertfordshire




Plans to make more life-saving equipment available across Hertfordshire have been backed by county councillors.

The council’s public health and community safety committee considered a report about the Defibrillator & Bleed Control Kit Project when they met on Thursday January 30.

The project is a joint venture by the authority’s public health team alongside charity Hearts for Herts.

A bleed control kit is stored in a secure locked cabinet with an automatic external defibrillator
A bleed control kit is stored in a secure locked cabinet with an automatic external defibrillator

The report highlighted that just one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and an early intervention significantly improves outcomes.

The project suggests converting defibrillators at 40 schools to make them publicly accessible as well as donating over 100 bleed control kits.

A particular concern was noted around Hertfordshire’s gypsy roma traveller (GRT) community, where health inequalities are high. The project aims to provide 12 standard defibrillator units with bleed control kits at traveller sites managed by Herts County Council.

A third aim involves piloting a wind- and solar-powered defibrillator and bleed control kit in Barclay Park, Hoddesdon, to provide “a sustainable and environmental community solution”.

The report states: “We are also in the process of full kit installation on the Hertfordshire Better Health Bus and will provide training for Better Health Bus team members in its use.

“The project is collaborating with the drug and alcohol team, which has secured funding through the supplemental and rough sleepers grants, to provide 13 defibrillators equipped with bleed control kits which will be placed in locations covered by drug and alcohol services and probation.

“Additionally, we are piloting the inclusion of nasal naloxone (a drug which can reverse the effect of opiate overdose) in these kits. Hertfordshire is leading this innovative project, inspired by Scotland’s initiative of placing naloxone in public areas.”

Cllr Sandy Walkington said: “My goddaughter, who is a midwife, was in a nationally branded franchisee restaurant and someone collapsed with a heart attack, and she was absolutely appalled at the complete ignorance and inability of the managers there and staff who just did not have the slightest clue.

“She dived in and tried to do CPR and I’m afraid it was impossible, the man died. But the fact they didn’t know where the first aid kit was, they were absolutely hopeless.

“She wrote a furious letter afterwards to the chief executive of the overarching organisation because she was just disgusted. It brings home why these things matter.”



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More