Our team at goPhysio undergo regular first aid training. Part of this always involves training on how to use an Defibrillator or AED. What struck the team, was firstly how crucial having access to an AED is for survival rates from a cardiac episode, but secondly, how easy they are to use.

The first aid trainer showed us an app to find our nearest AED and the nearest ones to us in our section of Bournemouth Road in Chandlers Ford are at Park Surgery on Hursley Road (only available during opening hours) and further down Bournemouth Road at the dentist.

Given the numbers of people that are in the area, using our facilities and those other local businesses in the vicinity, having access to an AED could save crucial minutes and ultimately save a life.

Currently, over 30,000 people suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the UK every year, without immediate treatment 90-95% of these victims will die. The only definitive treatment to Sudden Cardiac Arrest is immediate CPR along with a life-saving shock from a defibrillator. Having a readily available defibrillator in public locations will help to increase survival statistics and will protect those in the area against SCA. In the event of a cardiac arrest, if CPR and defibrillation are provided within 3-5 minutes of collapse, a victim’s chances of survival can increase from 6% to 74%.

There are actually very few easily accessible defibrillators available in the area. The one we purchase and install will be in a wall cabinet stored safely outside our clinic and accessibly so it can be quickly retrieved in an emergency 24 hours a day. All our staff are first aid trained, and will be at hand if needed.

We’re officially launching our fundraising campaign on Friday 9th June to co-incide with the British Heart Foundation’s Wear It Beat It campaign. Our team will all be wearing red that day to help raise awareness of the life saving research that the British Heart Foundation carries out and to kickstart our fundraising campaign.

Here at goPhysio we are looking to match fund 50% of the cost of the AED and installation, so we’re looking to raise £1100. We will cover the reminding cost and ongoing running and maintenance costs.

If you’d like to donate towards this life saving piece of equipment for your local area, visit our Just Giving page. Thank you!

#WearItBeatIt #AEDSavesLives