Restart a Heart

An image of a person performing CPR on a mannequin, with the text Your two hands can help save a life. Next to RSAH 2023 logo

This October 2023, it's time to get hands-on again for Restart a Heart.

Every year, an alliance of partners come together to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and help more people learn CPR. 

Restart a Heart (RSAH) is an annual initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK which aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

Find out how you can support RSAH (Restart a Heart), watch videos, download resources, and more on this page.

What is Restart a Heart?

Every October an alliance of partners all over the world (including UK Ambulance Services, universities, and other charitable and public sector community-based organisations and first aid training organisations) come together to increase public awareness of cardiac arrests and the number of people trained in lifesaving CPR and defibrillation.

They do this by organising and facilitating training events and also by providing opportunities for people to learn CPR and defibrillation digitally in the safety and comfort of their own homes.

Launching this year on or around 16 October, Restart a Heart 2023 will be actively promoting the use of public access defibrillators and highlighting health inequality around access. 

Survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remain stubbornly low in the UK, with fewer than one in 10 people surviving. 

Whether you're hosting an event or attending one, teaching in person or learning online, you have a key role to play in improving survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. You can ensure that everyone has a chance to learn CPR and how to use a defibrillator and that those having a sudden cardiac arrest have their best chance of surviving.  

Here’s how you can get involved

Show your support

Let your friends and family know you’re supporting Restart a Heart by using the hashtag #RestartAHeart on social media.  A digital communication pack for 2023 is available with sample social posts, hashtags and digital information. 

Events

Ambulance services across the UK are holding events both in-person and online (including livestreams and training sessions held via video conferencing apps.)

Independent events are welcomed, and a Training Provider Pack for use as a guide to running your event is available to help support your event.  You can also use our generic Restart a Heart press release template to help spread awareness of your event within the media. 

To find out what events St. John Ambulance are running for Restart a Heart, visit their website.

To find out what your local ambulance service is doing for Restart a Heart, click ‘Ambulance Contacts’ below.

Regional contacts

East Midlands Ambulance Service

Mel Wright, mel.wright@emas.nhs.uk

East of England Ambulance Service

Community Response Team, volunteer@eastamb.nhs.uk

Guernsey - St John Ambulance Service

Jim Cathcart, jim.cathcart@stjohn.gg

Isle of Wight Ambulance Service

Louise Walker, louise.walker28@nhs.net

Jersey Ambulance Service

Nathan Judge, n.judge@health.gov.je

London Ambulance Service

Abby Doolan, abby.doolan@nhs.net

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service

Stephanie Leckey, stephanie.leckey@nias.hscni.net

North East Ambulance Service

Alex Mason, alexandra.mason@neas.nhs.uk

North West Ambulance Service

David McNally, david.mcnally@nwas.nhs.uk

Save a Life for Scotland

Lisa MacInnes, hello@savealife.scot | Website

Scottish Ambulance Service

Caroline Young, caroline.young5@nhs.scot

South Central Ambulance Service

Nicola Dunbar, nicola.dunbar@scas.nhs.uk

Leonie Latimer, leonie.latimer@scas.nhs.uk

South East Coast Ambulance Service

Scott Montgomery, scott.montgomery@secamb.nhs.uk

South West Ambulance Service

Amy Sainsbury, amy.sainsbury@swast.nhs.uk

Ollie Zorab, ollie.zorab2@swast.nhs.uk

Welsh Ambulance Service

Fiona Maclean, fiona.maclean@wales.nhs.uk | Website

West Midlands Ambulance Service

Nick Henry, nick.henry@wmas.nhs.uk

Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Jason Carlyon, jason.carlyon@nhs.net

Louise Boyes, yas.restartaheart@nhs.net | Website

 

Resources for learning and teaching:

 

About defibrillation

Defibrillators

Resuscitation Council UK’s key information on defibrillators including how to use and how to find your nearest defibrators.

The Circuit

We need the help of those looking after defibrillators (the defibrillator guardians) to make sure their defibrillator is connected to The Circuit.

A guide to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

This guide created by RCUK provides information about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and how they can be used anywhere, by anyone, to try to save the life of a person who has a cardiac arrest.

How to learn CPR

Lifesaver

Resuscitation Council UK’s game-in-a-film puts users at the heart of the action as they learn CPR and defibrillation skills through decision making.

CPR language resources

Our language fliers and animation videos demonstrate how to do CPR in a range of languages so that anyone in the UK can save a life.

St John Ambulance's First Aid App

Download St John Ambulance’s free mobile phone app to have life-saving knowledge - including how to perform CPR - at your fingertips.

Educational resources and more from Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Yorkshire Ambulance Service have a range of educational materials on their website, including CPR resources in Makaton and a variety of languages.

RevivR

Learn CPR in 15 minutes with RevivR™ CPR Training from British Heart Foundation. Most of us will witness a cardiac arrest in our lifetime. Be ready for that day with RevivR, BHF's fast, free and easy-to-use CPR training course.

First Aid App

This free first aid app from British Red Cross covers 19 first aid skills. Using a simple and easy to learn approach, the app is suitable for anyone looking to learn first aid to help others in an emergency.

How to teach CPR

Teaching your Secondary School Pupils CPR

Resuscitation Council UK’s lesson plan will help you ensure your students have the confidence and skill to identify a cardiac arrest and attempt to save a life with skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation.

First Aid Champions

First Aid Champions, from British Red Cross, is a new first aid teaching site for learners aged 5-18. First aid education is now on the RSE and health curriculum in England, and First Aid Champions can be used by all schools in the UK to teach the skills children and young people need to save a life.

Lesson Plans for Schoolchildren

St John Ambulance’s free resources and lesson plans have been developed to support teaching first aid as part of health education. The resources are organised in teaching pathways for Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, and Key Stage 4, and outline a recommended order for teaching the different first aid topics to pupils.

BHF resources to build a Nation of Lifesavers

If you’re planning lifesaving training for your staff, pupils or members of your local community, you’ll find updated advice, training videos and certificates on the BHF website showing you how to teach and learn CPR skills safely using the hands-only approach.

Additional resources

Flier on how to do CPR

Download our flier, which shows the simple steps you need to take to perform CPR. Perfect for printing and sharing with friends, family and your wider community.

Supporters Pack

Find out how you can support the campaign with guidance around events, messaging, design, and social media.

Additional resources from St John Ambulance

Why you should learn CPR

  • Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood around the body, and causes a person to collapse and stop breathing normally. 
  • Survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remain stubbornly low in the UK, with fewer than one in ten people surviving. If CPR were more widely taught, thousands of lives could be saved every year. (Resuscitation to Recovery
  • Around 80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home. As people are spending more time at home during COVID-19, that statistic may be higher at the moment. Learning CPR guarantees that you have the skills to help those around you, including in the home. 

Read their stories