Resuscitation Council (UK) encourages all to carry out CPR and defibrillation on cardiac arrest patients

ALL members of the public should be encouraged to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) – a machine that may restart the heart – on cardiac arrest patients, according to the UK body that sets the guidance, Resuscitation Council (UK). All people, whether trained or untrained, are also encouraged to perform CPR to resuscitate someone whose heart has stopped in order to pump already oxygenated blood around the body to the vital organs.  Dr Meng Aw-Yong, Medical Adviser, St John Ambulance, said:- "It's generally the case that rescue breaths improve the chances of survival when carried out by people who know what they're doing. We know that giving rescue breaths can be off-putting and the current advice is that if you're unwilling or unable to do full CPR then chest compressions are better than nothing. The best solution, however, is for people to get trained in how to carry out chest compressions and rescue breaths so they can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved."  Resuscitation Council (UK) says that an estimated 30,000 people each year suffer cardiac arrest outside of hospital in the UK yet currently only one third of those receive CPR from a bystander. Research shows that a patient’s chance of surviving is doubled if CPR is performed.  Additionally, for each minute that passes without defibrillation after the heart stops, the chances of survival fall by about 7% to 10%. The disturbing fact is that AEDs are not always readily available in emergency situations.  As people spend a high proportion of their lives at work, St John Ambulance strongly urges employers to make sure that an appropriate number of employees is trained in first aid and CPR and that an AED unit is kept within two minutes’ reach of all employees.  While an AED is very easy to use – and training is desirable but not essential – emergencies such as cardiac arrest are extremely stressful for the person delivering first aid. St John Ambulance strongly recommends that people are trained in defibrillation and performing CPR on a short 3 hour course in order to have the vital confidence to deal with the situation as effectively as possible and stand a better chance of saving a life.  Besides stocking a wide range of leading AED units – and all the accessories needed to keep and use them – St John Ambulance provides free AED and CPR training for every AED purchased. This is in the form of either a free place on one of our scheduled AED courses or the equivalent discount for training a group of people on your premises.  To find out more about our courses, including AED training, call:- 08700 10 49 50.

Celebration of learning

TRADE unions in Liverpool will be raising awareness of adult learning opportunities with a week long series of events aimed at council staff and their families and members of the community. The week of learning is organised by Liverpool City Council Union Learning Reps who are working in partnership with the council to obtain the North West Skills Award and are designed to promote learning for all.   The planned events are funded by Unionlearn as part of the national celebration of learning.  Councillor Nick Small, a huge supporter of the Union of Learning said:- "We want these events to inspire adults to participate in informal learning and encourage youngsters to get involved in their local trade union."  The first event is a history tour along Hope Street on Thursday, 21 October 2010, at 5pm, Union Learning Rep Vicky Nowak hopes that the success of the various activities will attract more learners "We are hoping that the adults who come along to our talks or fun days will be encouraged to find out more about what learning opportunities are available for them."  Places at all events are limited so, to avoid disappointment, those interested should book early by phoning Vicky Nowak on:- 0151 233 4038 or 07838 958332 or email.

What? Where? When?

A fun way to find out more about Liverpool heritage with a walking tour; A costumed performance history tour along Hope Street with Charity Hope from the workhouse (approx 1 hour). Meeting on the main steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King and finishing at the Anglican Cathedral on Thursday 21 October 2010, from 5.00 pm or Thursday, 28 October 2010 at 5.00pm Learn at lunchtime with a Liverpool History Learning Lunch; talks and activities with contributions from a local historian, the Everton Collection, Liverpool Record Office and Library Services. A light lunch will be provided. Millennium House - Herculaneum/Huskisson Combined Room. Friday 22 October 12.15 to 1.45. Looking for something to do with the kids during Half Term Week? A family tour of St Georges Hall with Steve Binns MBE, and a range of activities for children St Georges Hall reception on Thursday, 28 October at 10.30am. Speaking up to Shape Local Services - A training day for young people on how they can influence decision making, by community activism, trade unionism or through the democratic process, followed by a Campaigning Toolkit to help them develop their own campaigns. The Fairfield Centre, Shiel Road. Friday, 29 October from 9.30am.

Demonstration at Royal Liverpool Hospital
Photograph by UNISON

THE Royal Liverpool Hospital’s UNISON branch, on 20 October 2010, held a demonstration against the Government’s cuts in public spending which they believe will damage the NHS and lead to job losses and deterioration of patient care. Su Edwards, Unison Branch Secretary, said:- "the cuts to the NHS, to public services and cuts in welfare benefits are unfair & unnecessary. UNISON has presented an alternative to these cuts. The Coalition should tax the banks & the super-rich & scrap Trident. These savings alone would mean that no cuts to benefits and job losses are needed. The Coalition will pay for these cuts on the needy, vulnerable & poor at the ballot box next year." Yet the government has said that the NHS in England will get a 0.1% annual real term rise in funding by 2015, fulfilling a Tory manifesto pledge. The NHS budget will rise by £10bn to £114bn. New cancer drug fund is to be provided. Overall the health service will see a 4% rise, and an extra £2bn for social care will be provided by 2014 to 15. But £20bn in efficiency and productivity savings will be expected of the NHS by the end of the Parliament. So do you think UNISON was right to call this demonstration?  Email us your views.

Young Engineers of the Future 2010

BUDDING engineers from schools across Merseyside will converge in the Liverpool Town Hall on Thursday, 21 October 2010, to find out how to become engineers of the future.

Engineering Your Future (EYF) is a free 1 day careers event for students aged between 16 to 18 years old. In its tenth year nationally, it is the first time the event has ever been run in Merseyside and will be attended by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Hazel Williams. Thursday’s event will run from 9.15am to 4pm and will provide students with an insight into the broad scope of a career in engineering.

It is the only careers event of its kind to have the backing of the UK’s leading engineering groups and institutions. The Merseyside event is organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Institute of Physics (IOP), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), British Computer Society (BCS) and the Young Generation Network from the Nuclear Institute (NI).

Schools taking part in the Merseyside area are:- Chester Catholic High School, Chester; Fazakerley High School, North Liverpool; Hugh Baird College, Bootle; Broughton Hall High School, West Derby; King George V College, Southport; St. Mary’s College, Southport; Pensby Sports College, Wirral; Mosslands, Wallasey, Wirral.

Mike Hannaway, Joint Chair of the EYF organising committee and IMechE member, said:- "It's great that we can bring EYF to Merseyside for the first time as the event helps to inform students of how interesting and rewarding a career in engineering can be. By providing students direct access to young engineers and highlighting some of the exciting projects they are working on, we can help attract talented young people into engineering to help identify the solutions to the many challenges that lie ahead for our modern society, such as global warming and sustainable energy."

Paul Cormack, Vocational Co-ordinator at ScottishPower which is hosting an EYF workshop, added:- “EYF is important to us as a key objective for ScottishPower is to embrace the STEM agenda and highlight careers to help meet the future skills shortage in the power industry. The event allows us to provide students with the opportunity to evaluate their career options by speaking to our graduates, apprentices and other employees, as well as finding out what careers we have on offer.”