A new partnership between the Police and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton will provide free emergency life saving training in the local community.

The "heartstart" course lasts just over two hours and gives trainees practical hands-on skills including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), dealing with choking, serious bleeding and helping someone who may be having a heart attack.

Police and Community Support Officers have been trained by the Resuscitation Training Team at Musgrove Park. Those who pass are given a certificate and authorised to deliver the training.

Stuart Reeves, Resuscitation Services Manager at Musgrove Park said "These skills are crucially important as one person has a heart attack in the UK every two minutes and about 30% of these people die before reaching hospital. The Heartstart course teaches simple skills that everyone can learn to save lives. We are very proud to be working with the Police to help improve community safety."

Inspector Roger Tolley of Somerset West Police District said "Our Police and Community Support Officers (PCSO) do an excellent job working closely with community groups. This course, delivered in partnership with Musgrove, will make a real difference to the service we can provide and the level of life saving knowledge in the community"

The attached picture shows Stuart Reeves (in red) handing out certificates to (left to right) PCSO Linda Brooks, Debra Perry, Tracey Cornish, Inspector Roger Tolley, Stuart Reeves, PCSO Lynsey Gamlin, Claire Bawler, Tracey Grobbeller.

Notes

Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

The hospital serves a population of 340,000 - primarily living in the area served by NHS South West. Each year almost 40,000 patients are admitted as emergencies; 10,000 patients are admitted for elective surgery; 26,000 are seen for day case surgery; 232,000 patients attend outpatient clinics; 48,000 attend Accident and Emergency, 170,000 diagnostic examinations take place and over 3000 babies are born in the Maternity Department. Almost 1000 patients are admitted to Critical Care each year.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has an annual budget of £180 million. The hospital has over 700 beds, 30 wards, 15 operating theatres, a fully equipped diagnostic imaging department and employs 4,145 staff.

For the latest news from Musgrove Park Hospital go to here.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust