Four-year milestone in UK Coaching’s commitment to building heart-safe communities
Posted: Wed, 14 May 2025
Four-year milestone in UK Coaching's commitment to building heart-safe communities
By Blake Richardson – UK Coaching
We have refreshed and updated our free Sudden Cardiac Arrest eLearning course to mark its four-year anniversary. Created in collaboration with The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT), Resuscitation Council UK, and St John Ambulance and funded by Sport England, the training equips learners with the knowledge and confidence to act quickly and save a life. We spoke with Steve Humphries, founder and Chair of JHMT, to explore the progress being made in establishing heart-safe communities
As the fight to improve sudden cardiac arrest survival rates continues, UK Coaching is leading the charge by empowering communities with essential life-saving skills.
Thanks to our free online course, thousands more people now have the confidence to act in a heart emergency and the knowledge to save lives.
We are proud to have had nearly 25,000 people enrol in the course since its launch in May 2021, but we won't rest on our laurels. Educating people on the lifesaving skills required in a sudden cardiac arrest emergency is an ongoing journey. It demands innovative thinking, updated strategies, and continuous evolution of our learning products to ensure they remain current and effective.
Nearly five thousand learners have so far left feedback and suggestions for how we can improve the eLearning module.
And following analysis of the feedback, we have made significant improvements to enhance the learning experience.
Meanwhile, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have reviewed the course content to ensure it is accurate and aligns with current legislation and guidance.
One compelling theme to emerge from our eLearning course is the significant boost in learners' confidence in handling heart emergencies – underscoring the transformative impact of our free training.
The video of the team using the defibrillator was really useful. Up until now, a defibrillator was a scary unknown, but having seen it in use it has removed any fears. Overall, this was an excellent learning experience." Andy
"I wouldn't have felt confident giving CPR before this course; however, now I would feel confident that I know exactly what to do. Great course!"
The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust: The fight goes on
In the four years since we launched the online course in collaboration with JHMT, the charity has continued its tireless work to create a new generation of lifesavers and raise awareness of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), a group of lethal heart conditions that can affect seemingly fit and healthy young people under the age of 35.
A primary focus of their work is to increase the provision of public access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in communities.
Our target is to ensure we don't have any AED 'deserts' in our communities," says Steve Humphries, who set up the Trust with his wife Angela after the death of their teenage son Joe.
"When we lost Joe in 2012, at that time defibrillators were unheard of as very few people knew about them. We (JHMT) placed our first one in Rothley village centre in 2013.
"Since then, the availability of AEDs has significantly increased, greatly enhancing the safety and preparedness of local communities."
- Out of hospital cardiac arrest is a global public health issue experienced by 3.8 million people annually. Only 8% to 12% survive to hospital discharge.
- Every minute without any bystander intervention reduces the chance of survival by 10%. Early defibrillation is an essential element of the chain of survival and prompt treatment within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse can lead to survival rates of more than 50%.
- Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, any time and any age, with over 80% of out of hospital cardiac arrests happening in the home.
Building lifesaving connections
One of the major factors for the low survival rate – highlighted in international and UK research – is that there are gaps in areas of communities having access to AEDs, including a lack of training opportunities for people in basic lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills.
To address this, JHMT are working with the public health team at Leicester City Council and East Midlands Ambulance Service to identify the current locations of defibrillators across the city and where there are gaps in their provision. Steps have already been taken to provide a better distribution of devices which are accessible 24/7 in case of a cardiac emergency.
Steve adds: "There are plenty of static defibrillators – those that are available 9-5 in a business or a facility – but one of JHMT's key priorities, 13 years on, remains increasing the number of AEDs in those neighbourhoods identified by key public health data to ensure a greater equity of access, as well as increasing the opportunities to free lifesaving training for residents."
The charity has made great strides in its drive to make sports clubs throughout Leicestershire 'heart safe'.
Currently, over 50% of Leicestershire cricket clubs have public access defibrillators on site.
"However, that means half still do not!" says Steve, "and we are committed to working with more clubs and other groups across all sports to help raise that percentage even higher with the ultimate goal of creating a level playing field where everyone is equipped and prepared should someone fall victim to a cardiac arrest."
A key component of club safety protocols, says Steve, should be ensuring clubs have an AED and that everyone is trained in how to use it, and to perform CPR effectively.
It should be an integral part of every club's duty of care policy and practices to provide a heart safe environment.
"It is paramount to our work to convey the message that we want clubs to provide the safest possible environment for everyone. That's why the fight goes on."
Critical that clubs register their AED
The Circuit register, developed by the British Heart Foundation in collaboration with the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, UK ambulance services, the Resuscitation Council UK, and St John Ambulance, allows clubs and organisations to register their AEDs on the growing centralised national defibrillator network.
It is crucial for clubs to register their AEDs, as this ensures emergency services have the information on their system and can direct people to the nearest available AED when a 999 call comes in.
Steve says he hears far too often reports of a cardiac arrest, where there has been an AED nearby, but that it wasn't used because it hadn't been registered. "That life could have been saved."
It is also crucial that in community sports clubs, someone is appointed as the guardian of the AED. This may be the safety officer or safeguarding lead who takes ownership and registers the device and has primary responsibility for its maintenance and upkeep.
Everyone can be prepared by being aware of where your nearest AED is in your community in case of an emergency. To find out more about the whereabouts of a local defibrillator you can go to the defibfinder webpage, but this is not intended for use in an emergency. The Ambulance Service will have that information and will be able to give you the pin code for someone to unlock the nearest available AED.
"Remember time is of the essence when someone falls victim to a cardiac arrest. There is no time to search online for the nearest AED, as locator maps or apps may be outdated. If a person is not responding or breathing normally call 999 and start CPR compressions immediately.
"It's about making every second count," says Steve.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Online Course Testimonials
We are proud to shine a light on some of the incredible feedback we have received from learners who have taken the online course.
Before taking the eLearning, many people rated their confidence in knowing what to do in a sudden cardiac arrest emergency as low. However, after completing the module, there was a significant shift, with a majority now feeling 'highly confident' in their ability to respond effectively. This transformation highlights the powerful intervention of our free training.
As someone who would have been nervous dealing with such a difficult situation before the training, I do feel confident that if I were somewhere where this happened to someone, I would now be confident in dealing with it." Ian
There were literally hundreds of comments from learners saying the training should be shared more widely and that it should be mandatory for all workplaces, academic establishments (schools, colleges, universities), offices, shops, sports clubs, and schools, at all age groups; indeed, a staple learning tool for everyone who works in the community and interacts with the public.
"As a Headteacher of a busy school, this has been a perfect refresher on the usual First Aid CPD. Thank you for providing this as an e-learning module – so accessible for all. My whole staff will complete this throughout the week." – Sarah
The course was an eye-opener, and I think should be a priority for learning for every single individual in this country… as it's a life-changing necessity."
Chris
There was lots of praise too for the interactive nature of the course.
Absolutely superb. In many online courses, it is difficult to get a real feel of what is being taught, but the videos on this one pricked the hairs on my arms! Fantastic learning course. Thank you!" Mike
And even if you think you know everything there is to know and rate your confidence as high, the guidance from the British Heart Foundation is to refresh your knowledge every six to 12 months. Take a leaf out of Nigel's book:
This course is fantastic and of true value. I served 21 years with the NHS Emergency Ambulance Service, was CMD (Cardiac Monitor Defibrillator) trained, and an AED Instructor with Her Majesty's Prison Service. However, there was information on this training module I was unaware of; therefore, if I can learn, so can everyone." Nigel
Building a heart-safe future together
Now that we've refreshed your memory of our Sudden Cardiac Arrest online training course, we hope you feel inspired to refresh your learning. This is a skill everyone should have, and taking just 30 minutes out of your life might one day help you save a life.
Remember, initiating CPR and using an AED within the first 3-5 minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest can increase someone's chances of survival by 68%.
YOU too can learn how to be quick, smart and restart a heart – to find out more go to:
