This Valentine’s Day, learn CPR – the heart you restart could belong to someone you love

EEAST crews attempt resuscitation on around 3,500 patients each year, but only 1,000 have their heart successfully restarted. Quick, high-quality CPR from bystanders remains one of the strongest predictors of survival. Medical evidence shows that early CPR can double or quadruple the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.

To boost those chances, EEAST’s new Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) Improvement Programme is giving 999 callers specialist, real-time CPR guidance via live video on the GoodSAM platform. Advanced paramedics in the control room can see the patient, instruct callers on what to do, and improve CPR quality before crews arrive.

The pilot, which is a first for the UK, launched in September 2025, and in four-and-a-half months it has already been used in 749 medical emergencies, with 177 cases receiving video-guided CPR.

Improving bystander CPR aims to increase the likelihood of survival for patients - recent international evidence has indicated patients receiving video-instructed CPR have a higher chance of survival. This pilot programme is currently evaluating the impact of video-instructed CPR for patients in the east of England.

The OHCA pilot is funded by the East of England Ambulance Service Charity. The scheme has been supported by a £142,000 grant from NHS Charities Together with partner Omaze and backed by Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT).

EEAST volunteers run a free CPR training and defibrillator awareness programme called ‘EEAST Heart’, funded by charitable donations to the East of England Ambulance Service Charity. The Trust is encouraging schools, community groups and other organisations to get in touch to organise sessions so that as many people as possible know what to do when someone has a cardiac arrest.

Dr Simon Walsh, EEAST Medical Director, said: “Just one in ten people survive a cardiac arrest in the community. “When you look at countries with higher survival rates the major difference is that more people know how to deliver effective CPR. This Valentine’s Day, learning CPR is one of the most powerful gifts you can give the people you love. You never know when you might need to save someone’s life.”

Kate Lott, Head of Charity, added: “Realtime CPR support is already saving lives. Our donors make this possible, helping us train more lifesavers across the region.”

Anyone interested in attending a CPR training session can contact EEAST Heart via our website: EEAST Heart.

Learn CPR for free with EEAST Heart

Free CPR and defibrillator awareness training is available through EEAST Heart, delivered by EEAST volunteers and funded by charitable donations.

Sign up for a session: EEAST Heart

Donate to help create more lifesavers in your community: EEAST Heart Training ? - JustGiving