St John Ambulance launches compact defibrillator
A pocket-sized defibrillator has been launched by first aid charity St John Ambulance to save first responders crucial minutes when dealing with cardiac arrest.
The HEART Pocket defibrillator, which is the size of a mobile phone, offers a breakthrough for thousands of responders and emergency personnel who react to life-threatening emergencies before an ambulance arrives.
In the event of cardiac arrest – where survival chances fall by around 10 per cent for every minute without defibrillation – having a portable and compact defibrillator to hand gives the patient the best chance of survival.
Dr Lynn Thomas, Medical Director at St John Ambulance, said: “How quickly a defibrillator reaches a patient is key to improving survival outcomes during cardiac arrest. By making defibrillators smaller, lighter and easier to carry for responders, the HEART Pocket gives patients the best possible chance of a positive outcome.”
Drawing on nearly 150 years of first aid expertise, St John Ambulance has launched the HEART Pocket to give responders instant access to life-saving defibrillation, no matter how remote they are.
The compact device weighs just 700g including its battery and electrode pads and is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. It offers clear step-by-step CPR voice prompts with a metronome and hand placement guidance to help responders act with confidence when dealing with cardiac arrest, even when working alone.
Cardiac arrests affect people of any age, and the HEART Pocket’s built-in paediatric mode allows responders to use either adult or child settings at the press of a button. This removes the need for separate accessories and means responders can respond instantly to patients.
Adrian Hodes, Commercial Manager in the Enterprise Network at St John Ambulance, said: “Bringing this innovative, ultra-portable, miniature defibrillator to the UK market as part of our HEART range is a real gamechanger.
“It is significantly smaller and lighter than anything currently on the market. It means that mobile responders can be fully equipped when every second matters.
“More lives will be saved through immediate intervention. It will be particularly suited to mobile responders within the emergency services as well as in sectors such as transport and logistics, security, sports and remote workers.”
Alongside an eight-year warranty, the device is rated IP65 for dust and water resistance, and drop-tested from 1.5 metres, ensuring complete reliability even after the knocks and falls that are part of everyday operational life. It is also EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) approved.
St John Ambulance is the sole UK distributor of the HEART Pocket defibrillator, helping responders save lives across the country. And profits from defibrillator sales are ploughed back into supporting the charity’s vital work – helping to fund the training and equipment volunteers need to keep communities safe.