NHS could use drones to fly defibrillators to heart attack victims
Drones that could help the NHS save peoples’ lives
- The NHS is exploring the use of drones to deliver defibrillators directly to people suffering cardiac arrests, potentially reaching patients faster than traditional ambulance services.
- A University of Warwick study, funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research, successfully trialled a drone delivery system in rural areas, yielding 'very promising' results.
- The trial demonstrated that defibrillators could be delivered to the scene in under ten minutes from the initial emergency call, significantly increasing the chance of survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
- The system involves a central control dispatching drones that lower the defibrillator via a winch, with volunteers at the scene coached by ambulance service call handlers.
- Following the successful study, larger trials are now planned to assess the feasibility of rolling out this drone technology nationally across the UK.