Vinny Jones is urging the public to take a hard and fast approach to lifesaving
Hard man Vinny Jones is urging outdoor enthusiasts to take a hard and fast approach to saving lives.
The former Chelsea footballer turned screen actor stars in a British Heart Foundation video which shows him performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation – without the traditional ‘kiss of life’.
The BHF is encouraging untrained members of the public, including walkers, climbers and mountain bikers, to attempt CPR on cardiac-arrest victims after first calling 999 and checking the patient’s airway.
The charity said chest compressions with rescue breaths will continue to be part of ‘gold standard’ CPR and taught during formal training, but untrained members of the public can become potential lifesavers by missing the kiss and going straight to chest compressions.
A poll by the BHF showed nearly half of people are put off helping because of a lack of knowledge about CPR. A fifth of respondents worried specifically about the thought of the kiss of life or catching an infectious disease.
The UK-wide survey also revealed four in 10 people feared they would be sued if they did something wrong, despite the fact there’s never been a successful case of that kind in the UK. Without CPR of some kind there is a very small chance of someone surviving cardiac arrest.
Ellen Mason, the charity’s senior cardiac nurse, said: “The kiss of life can often be daunting for untrained bystanders who want to help when someone has collapsed with a cardiac arrest.
“Hands-only CPR should give lots of people the confidence and know-how to help save someone in cardiac arrest, the ultimate medical emergency. It’s been shown that hard, fast and uninterrupted chest compressions are better than stopping compressions for ineffective rescue breaths.
“It’s very simple; call 999 and then push hard and fast in the centre of the chest at a tempo similar to Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.
“If you’re untrained or unconfident about the kiss of life, give hands-only CPR a go instead – it could help save someone’s life.”
A television advert, showing throughout January, reveals a compassionate side to Vinnie Jones as he performs hands-only CPR to Stayin’ Alive in a deserted warehouse, flanked by two dancing henchmen.
Mr Jones said: “There really shouldn’t be any messing about when it comes to CPR. If you’re worried about the kiss of life just forget it and push hard and fast in the centre of the chest to Stayin’ Alive.
“Hands-only CPR should give have-a-go heroes the confidence to step in and help when somebody is in cardiac arrest.”
The campaign has the backing of the Resuscitation Council UK, which aims to educate both lay people and healthcare professional in the most effective methods of resuscitation appropriate to their needs.
