Saving Lives at the University of Edinburgh: Empowering Communities Through CPR Education

At the University of Edinburgh, the Saving Lives Group, a student-led initiative uniting nursing and medical students, has become a driving force behind this vital campaign. Since 2022 they have worked year round to educate the University community and the wider public to ‘know CPR’, emphasising that early recognition of cardiac arrest, good quality CPR and quick defibrillation really can save lives.

The Saving Lives Group recruits and trains volunteer healthcare students, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to teach lifesaving CPR skills. Working closely with Save a Life for Scotland, the group’s mission is to make CPR knowledge universal; empowering ordinary people to act decisively in emergencies where every second counts.

Despite progress, inequalities in cardiac arrest outcomes remain a pressing concern. Women are significantly less likely than men to receive bystander CPR, a disparity rooted in inadequate training and social perceptions about performing CPR on women. 

The Saving Lives Group is tackling this head-on by ensuring their training sessions highlight these biases, reinforce the importance of acting without hesitation regardless of gender.

In Scotland, people living in areas of socio-economic deprivation are less likely to survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Factors such as reduced access to public defibrillators, fewer training opportunities, and slower emergency response times can all contribute to this gap. Recognising this, the Saving Lives Group has made it a priority to take CPR training directly to communities where it is needed most.

This year, the group was successful in obtaining a community grant from the Resuscitation Council UK, which will fund a collaborative project with Edinburgh Community Yoga. Together, they will deliver accessible CPR training in Wester Hailes, Craigmillar, and Dalkeith in Edinburgh. The partnership aims not only to teach CPR skills, but also to foster confidence, wellbeing, and resilience in the process.

In recent months, Saving Lives volunteers have been busy delivering sessions in local schools, mosques, and youth groups training close to 1000 people in just one week. They are also engaging at local government level, advocating for equitable access to CPR education and defibrillation across Edinburgh. The group have a wide range of upcoming public engagement events and are working in partnership with Nursing Studies and Edinburgh Medical School to run CPR education as part of celebrations for their respective 70th and 300th anniversaries. 

As Restart a Heart Day approaches this October, the University of Edinburgh Saving Lives group invites everyone - students, staff, and members of the public - to get involved. Attend a training session, check out the 15 minute Revivr online training, or invite the team to your workplace or community group.

Together, we can make Scotland a nation of lifesavers. Join the Restart a Heart movement this October: learn CPR, share your knowledge, and help close the gap in survival for all.