RevivR partner release photo

Tesco is piloting a new CPR training programme as part of its partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The charity’s RevivR training tool has been created to improve the nation’s CPR and defibrillation skills.

Staff will be trained within 15 minutes, using just a mobile phone and a cushion, how to recognise a cardiac arrest and learn the correct steps of defibrillator use.

There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, but less than one in 10 people survive. Immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival, but over a third of adults have never undertaken any form of CPR training.

Tesco, the first grocer to roll out the RevivR tool to its colleagues, said it was encouraging all of its 300,000 UK staff to learn CPR and help the BHF “create a nation of life-savers”.

The charity said with Tesco’s huge community reach, it is in a unique position to help improve cardiac arrest survival rates.

The supermarket has a network of more than 2,500 defibrillators.

“Our BHF team were determined to do more to help save lives after watching Christian Eriksen’s collapse [during a football match] last year, knowing the sad reality is that today less than one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK,” said Dr Charmaine Griffiths, CEO of the British Heart Foundation.

“RevivR is a really easy way to learn a lifesaving skill – all you need is your mobile phone and a firm cushion. In just 15 minutes you learn how to recognise a cardiac arrest, with personalised feedback to build confidence in CPR and using a defibrillator.”

Tesco head of health campaigns Oonagh Turnbull said: “Tesco has been fundraising for the British Heart Foundation since 2015, and as part of our broader partnership it has been wonderful to offer our support as a pilot partner for RevivR.

“It was the natural extension to the installation of defibrillators and uploading of them to the Circuit. Tesco colleagues have really enjoyed learning CPR through the RevivR training tool. We are only too pleased to help increase awareness of this vital life-saving skill.”