Golf club launches ‘cardiac arrest response strategy’

A Derbyshire golf club has erected signs around the course informing golfers on what to do if someone near to them has a cardiac arrest, and uses the What3Words app to inform emergency services of a patient’s precise location.

The cardiac arrest response strategy has been rolled out by Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Club to ensure that players can receive immediate first aid and defibrillator access in the event of an emergency.

The signage, installed at the tee of every hole, gives instructions on how to respond with CPR if someone has a heart attack, while there is also a designated telephone number to alert clubhouse staff who can rapidly deliver a defibrillator.

Each tee also uses the What3Words app to provide a precise location to emergency services, reports the Buxton Advertiser.

The initiative has been praised by the East Midlands Ambulance Service, as it could prove vital in the minutes before a paramedic can reach the scene.

Operational support manager James Hornby recently visited the club to hear about the project and said: “This is a great idea. We need to raise awareness with the public and golfers about the importance and effectiveness of CPR and using a defibrillator. In cardiac arrest, speed of response is key.

“I love the use of What3Words too, as this will be a massive help to us to be able to pinpoint the exact location of the patient. The golf course is spread over a vast area and getting to the precise location as quickly as possible will make a huge difference.”

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of premature death, arising when the heart’s normal electrical impulses malfunction, causing an abnormal heart rhythm which affects the circulation of blood and oxygen around the body.

In the UK the current survival rate following cardiac arrest is just ten percent but that figure could be greatly improved if more patients received immediate CPR and early defibrillation to re-establish a normal heart rhythm.

If delivered within the first three to five minutes of the person collapsing, it can increase the survival rate by up to 70 percent.

High Peak MP Robert Largan accompanied James on his visit to the club and said: “This is such a simple yet fantastic idea, I can’t believe it hasn’t been done before. It’s a really pro-active scheme, offering practical help that could save lives.

“It would be great to see other golf clubs doing the same.”