FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You do not need training to save a life. If you call 999, the call handler will talk you through exactly what to do.

If you’d like to feel more confident, there are easy ways to learn:

• Watch our short CPR video – it shows the simple steps and what to expect in an emergency
• Book onto one of our free CPR workshops – run by our expert team, with time to ask questions and practice.

Any training is helpful but lack of training should never stop you from helping.

Yes. Hands-only CPR (chest compressions without rescue breaths) is very effective, especially in adults.

When an adult suddenly collapses, there is usually still enough oxygen in their blood for the first few minutes. Chest compressions help keep that oxygen moving around the body, buying vital time until help arrives or an AED is used.

Rescue breaths can help, but you do not have to give them. If you’re not trained or don’t feel comfortable, hands-only CPR is absolutely the right thing to do.

For children or drowning incidents, rescue breaths are more helpful but compressions alone are still far better than doing nothing.

In the UK, fewer than one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

But survival rates are much higher when:

• Cardiac arrest is recognised quickly
• Bystander CPR is started early
• An AED (defibrillator) is used before the ambulance arrives

In these situations, a person’s chance of survival more than doubles. Your actions in the first few minutes can make a lifesaving difference.

If someone’s heart stops, they will collapse and become unconscious. They won’t respond if you speak to them or shake their shoulders.

They may not be breathing at all — or they may make noisy, gasping or irregular breaths. This can look worrying, but these are not normal breaths.

The key signs are:

• They are unconscious
• They are unresponsive
• They are not breathing normally

If you’re not sure, call 999 straight away and start CPR. It’s always better to act than to wait.