Profile of the Sussex Heart Charity & instructors qualifications
The Sussex Heart Charity’s Community Resuscitation Training Programme was the first such training scheme in Europe. It was set up by Professor Douglas Chamberlain in 1978 following the successful introduction of community cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in Seattle and other parts of the USA. The programme was initially run as a pilot project and was funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). For the last 25 years it has been funded by the Sussex Heart Charity, and in excess of 120,000 people have been trained within Sussex.
Training courses follow expert guidelines published by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), the European Resuscitation Council and Resuscitation Council (UK). The instructors have a wealth of experience, and some have a background in the emergency services. Most instructors are Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approved First Aid Trainers and Assessors. All our instructors are qualified in teaching basic life support and the use of Automated External Defibrillators and hold current certificates, and undergo regular training programme.
The Charity’s Medical Director is Professor Douglas Chamberlain CBE MD Hon. DSc. FRCP FRCA FESC FACC, and the Charity works closely with the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb).
Clients of the Charity include:
- Gatwick Airport
- Sussex Police
- South East Coast Ambulance Service
- Doctors Surgeries
- Dental Surgeries
- Masonic Centres
- Lyons and Rotary Clubs
- Women’s Institutes
- Shopping Centres