TUESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Dundee butchers learn how to save a life

A group of staff from a Dundee butcher have taken part in a CPR training session as part of the ‘Butchers at the Heart of the Community’ campaign.

Scott Brothers Butchers contacted Heartstart Discovery co-ordinator Helen Brady with an interest in having their staff trained in emergency life support after hearing about the campaign, which aims to raise awareness of CPR and defibrillators.

The nationwide initiative was set up by Kinross butcher Pamela Hunter, who lost a regular customer to cardiac arrest.

As part of the campaign local butcher shops have been raising funds to have defibrillators installed within their communities and for every pound donated, the butchers have been matching it.

A recent fundraising drive has seen a defibrillator installed outside West End Butchers on Perth Road, and Scott Brothers are currently raising money to have a defibrillator at each of their three Dundee shops.

Around 25 staff from Scott Brothers attended the training session yesterday (Monday) which was held at Kings Cross. Several staff from other local butcher shops have also attended the public Heartstart Discovery sessions which are held on a monthly basis.

Scott Jarron of Scott Brothers Butchers said, “We are delighted to be associated with Heartstart and the ‘Butchers at the Heart of the Community’ campaign and are looking forward to having the funds in place to have defibrillators outside each of our shops.”

Helen Brady added, “It is wonderful to have so many defibrillators around in our communities but it is also important for people to be aware that CPR must be carried out prior to a defibrillator arriving.  If CPR is not carried out, then a defibrillator has much less chance of working.  CPR is vital for the patient as it buys valuable time, helping to maintain life until the emergency services/defibrillator arrive.”

Being able to perform emergency life support, a set of actions needed to keep someone alive until professional help arrives, gives a casualty the best possible chance of survival.

Heartstart sesssions are taking place across Tayside over the coming weeks:

Wednesday, 19 September 7-9pm Dundee

Tuesday, 25 September 7-9pm Carnoustie

Friday, 28 September 10.30am-12.30pm Arbroath

Monday 1 October 2-4pm Montrose

The sessions cover:

• caring for an unconscious person who is breathing

• caring for an unconscious person who is not breathing and performing CPR

• how to recognise the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and how to deal with it

• helping someone who is choking

• helping someone who is bleeding badly

For further details and to register please contact Helen Brady on 01382 740400 or helenjbrady@nhs.net or visit facebook.com/HeartstartDiscovery.

Training sessions can also be arranged on request for groups, organisations and clubs.

Picture courtesy of DC Thomson

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740718