Number of life saving defibrillators in the community to be increased with new funding

THE public will have faster access to life saving defibrillators as the Government announces a new £1 million fund to increase the number of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in communities most in need; providing an estimated 1,000 new defibrillators in community spaces across England.

The Department of Health and Social Care will invest the funding through an independent partner in the new year who will manage grant applications from bidding organisations. Those selected will be asked to match the funding they receive fully or partially, potentially doubling the number of new defibrillators created by the fund.

Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed, such as places with high footfall, vulnerable people, rural areas, or due to the nature of activity at the site.

Examples could include:- Town Halls, Community Centres, local shops, Post Offices and local parks, to ensure that defibrillators are evenly spread throughout communities and easily accessible if someone is experiencing an unexpected cardiac arrest.

The independent partner managing the fund will be announced in due course, and will work with the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that new defibrillators in the community are accessible on a 24/7 basis and are equally accessible across England to all social groups.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said:- "I’ve heard extraordinary stories of ordinary people being kept alive thanks to the swift use of a defibrillator on the football pitch, at the gym or in their local community. We must make sure these life-saving devices are more accessible, with our new £1 million fund expected to place around 1,000 new defibrillators in communities across England."

Minister of State for Care, Helen Whately, said:- "We want people to have the best chance of survival from cardiac arrest, and public access to defibrillators is critical to achieving this. This fund will help us make sure there are more of these incredible devices in our communities and we save more lives."

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said:- "For every minute without CPR or defibrillation, a person’s chances of survival from an out of hospital cardiac arrest decreases by 10%, so we welcome this move to improve access to defibrillators in communities across England. We urge anyone who looks after a defibrillator in their community, workplace or sports club to ensure that it is registered on The Circuit so that the ambulance services will know where it is in an emergency."

NHS National Medical Director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis said:- "It is essential that people are equipped with the knowledge, skills and equipment they need to be able to save a life, and access to a defibrillator, along with initial recognition of symptoms, early CPR and post resuscitation care can mean the difference between life and death for a person who is going into cardiac arrest. The NHS is proud to be working with local community partners to champion the importance of learning how to recognise and respond to out of hospital cardiac arrest; including working with St John Ambulance to recruit a national network of community advocates to encourage more people to learn CPR and lifesaving skills."

The funding is part of the Government’s commitment to support the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and improving access to emergency treatment across England.

Organisations and individuals that acquire defibrillators, or already own them, are urged to register them on The Circuit, a national defibrillator database for ambulance services to quickly identify the nearest device.
 

Star Salon named best salon in Merseyside at the Salon Awards

LIVERPOOL’S multi award winning Star Salon has recently won Best Salon in Merseyside at The Salon Awards and they will also soon be opening their beautiful new creative space upstairs; meaning freelance opportunities for hairdressers, make up artists, nail techs and aesthetic practitioners.

The latest award comes prior to the big reveal of their extended space, planned for February 2023. The salon, located at:- 542 Aigburth Road, has already won a multitude of awards such as:- 'Best Salon in the Hair' and 'Beauty Awards,' as well as reaching the:- 'Wella Finals,' 'Goldwell Finals,' and 'Global Creative Awards Finals.'

The latest award of Best Salon in Merseyside is testament to the fantastic quality and service they provide; with every one of their reviews on Salon Spy 5 star rated. With a team of Master Colourists, they’ve worked with top models and are Educators for Goldwell; such is their expertise.

To celebrate this accolade, the salon will be introducing a January offer of 25% off colours for new customers on their first two appointments. They will also be on the look out for talented hairdressers, make up artists, nail techs and aesthetic practitioners for their new creative space opening in February 2023.

Salon owner Kelly McDonald said:- "Star Salon has been doing great things for 12 years now and I’m very proud of the team and all we have achieved. All that matters is what our clients think and the fact that all our reviews are 5 star rated on Salon Spy says it all, but it does feel amazing when we get recognised with awards. There are some fabulous hairdressers in the Region so to win this latest award is some achievement! It’s thanks to the amazing team we have here and the consistent quality and service provided; honestly I couldn’t have a better team! If you’d like to be a part of it get in touch about the new opportunities."

Star Salon has developed an exceptional reputation as the place to go for hair cuts and colours. Colours represent by far the most popular service at Star Salon and they are renowned for being one of the best salons for colours in the Region; hence their multiple awards.

Rachael, who is a customer said:- "I’ve only been going to Star Salon since October but Kelly and her lovely team make me feel like I’ve always been one of their clients! Everyone is so friendly and they go out of their way to make you feel relaxed and welcome. Kelly is an actual colour genius and my hair has never looked better. She is so knowledgeable and explains each step of the process so you feel at ease. I always look forward to my appointments and can’t recommend Star Salon highly enough!"

Star Salon has recently won Best Salon in Merseyside at The Salon Awards and they will also soon be opening their beautiful new creative space; meaning freelance opportunities for hairdressers, make up artists, nail techs and aesthetic practitioners.

For more information, visit them at:- Star Salon, 542 Aigburth Road, Liverpool, L19 3QG, or call:- 01514277526.