Verbal Presentation from the Founding Director of the Paul Alan Project
The Committee shall receive a presentation on the work of the Paul Alan Project from the organisation’s Founding Director.
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation on the work of the Paul Alan Project from the organisation’s Founding Director, Clare Parish.
Clare informed the Committee on the following matters:
a) The Paul Alan Project provides defibrillators/bleed kits, along with training on how to use the equipment, deliver CPR, and spot the signs of cardiac arrest. Clare explained that her father had died in a busy environment surrounded by people, but nobody present knew what to do or how to spot the signs. She stated that she had been inspired to form the Paul Alan Project with a mission to increase awareness, educate people and make life-saving equipment accessible to everyone. The organisation had been named in memory of her late father, with his portrait included on all the organisation’s defibrillators (‘defibs’).
b) She explained that to date, the organisation had provided training to over 2600 people. The Paul Alan Project installed its first defib/bleed kit in Collingwood Park, Sutton. She stated that most of the organisation’s defib/bleed kits were located in the London borough of Sutton. The Nonsuch Park one had been installed by the public toilets near the café.
c) She explained that last year somebody’s life had been saved with one of the organisation’s defibs in Morden, with another life saved with CPR given by a person who had been taught at one of the organisation’s training sessions.
d) Clare informed the Committee that the British Heart Foundation runs a website called DefibFinder where you can type an address to see the location of the ten nearest defibs. The Paul Alan Project looks for gaps and endeavours to provide defibs in those areas.
e) She explained that many defibs are located inside buildings such as shops, meaning those defibs become inaccessible when those buildings are closed – she stated that the Paul Alan Project contacts those people with a view to arranging the installation of a cabinet in order to move the defib to somewhere outside the building where they are accessible. She explained that the cabinets need to be locked to prevent theft – the entry code can be requested upon phoning 999.
f) She explained that deaths due to cardiac arrest in the UK are the highest in Europe, owing to factors such as insufficient defib provision, training being insufficient and costly, and lack of confidence in people to take action.
g) She stated that it costs £600 to install a cabinet including the defib/bleed kit. She explained that the Cabinet runs on electricity to be lit and kept at the correct temperature. She informed the Committee that the cost of the cabinets is covered through fundraising, and that the Committee would not incur any cost for the cabinet installed in the Park.
h) In response to a question from a Member, she confirmed that the Paul Alan Project does not work with the British Heart Foundation, but all of their defibs are registered on BHF’s national map.