New App Launched to Support Cardiac Arrest Witnesses

A new and innovative app—the first of its kind in the UK—has been launched to support people who have witnessed an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

The RescQ app is designed to help family members, friends, and bystanders cope with the emotional distress of witnessing a sudden cardiac arrest. It is currently being piloted in Essex for one year, before plans to roll it out across Norfolk and Hertfordshire.

At Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT), we are proud to have played a part in this important project*, which has the potential to provide vital emotional support to those who step forward to help during what is often the most impactful event of their lives.

Everyone Can Save a Life

Sudden cardiac arrest usually happens without warning, but outcomes are dramatically improved when bystanders step in to help.

Everyone can save a life by learning CPR.
Everyone can use a defibrillator to save a life.

Sudden cardiac arrest happens when someone’s heart suddenly stops and the person collapses, sometimes with highly abnormal breathing—or no breathing at all. Immediate CPR in these circumstances can double or even triple the chance of survival. The actions of bystanders – by starting chest compressions immediately – can be life-transforming.

Adam Carr, Critical Care Paramedic at EHAAT, said:
“The contribution members of the public can make to improving survival is immense. Often, and as difficult as it may seem, we have to perform CPR on loved ones or friends. This is a vital intervention if someone is to survive.”

Supporting the Whole Journey

At EHAAT, our highly experienced Patient and Family Liaison Team (PFLT) already plays a crucial role in supporting patients, families, and friends in the weeks, months, and years following an accident or sudden illness. For a long time, we have wanted to extend that support to those who perform CPR—whatever the outcome.

Dr Gareth Grier, Associate Medical Director and Centre for Excellence Lead at EHAAT, said:
“This initiative is a very important step forward. The project goes some way to researching the effects of a support scheme on those who carry out CPR to help others. All aspects of this specialist area of medical care need careful evaluation and reflection to ensure effectiveness, and we are extremely hopeful that members of the public will find it useful.

We are passionate about getting every step of the process of care right—both for the patient and for those who intervene to help. We’re really looking forward to working with our partners to understand what more we can do.”

Learn CPR—Save a Life

While RescQ provides vital emotional support after an emergency, the most powerful thing you can do today is learn CPR.

We strongly encourage everyone to learn this lifesaving skill. It only takes a few minutes to watch and could make a difference when it matters most.
▶️ Watch our quick CPR training videos here

Together, we can create a community of lifesavers.

*The project is being led by the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre (CTC) at the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust with other partners including East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST), East Anglian Air Ambulance and Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK.

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