A new CPR-administering robot is being taken to emergencies in Bucks
Paramedics in Buckinghamshire are among the first to take a new potentially life-saving robot to emergencies.
LUCAS 3 now travels on board South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) vehicles, and is able to administer consistent and powerful chest compressions.
The device can take over CPR from crew or bystanders in seven seconds, allowing emergency response teams time to attend to other urgent treatments.
LUCAS 3 in demonstration. Pic courtesy: SCAS
LUCAS 3 works via wireless Bluetooth, and can be set to give the right amount of compressions according to the specific guidelines of each organisation.
Dr John Black, medical director at SCAS, said: “We know that delivering high quality and uninterrupted chest compressions in cardiac arrest is one of the major determinants of survival to hospital discharge but it can be very challenging for a number of reasons.
“People can become fatigued when performing CPR manually which then affects the rate and quality of compressions, and patients may need to be moved from difficult locations, such as down a narrow flight of stairs, or remote places which impedes the process.
“There are also significant safety risks to ambulance personnel being unrestrained and performing CPR in the back of vehicles travelling at high speed.
“These devices don’t fatigue or change the delivery in any way, meaning high quality CPR can be delivered for as long as is required while freeing up the paramedic, keeping them seated and belted and able to focus on other critical aspects of patient care on a journey.
“It ultimately acts as a robotic third crew member for our teams.”
The South Central Ambulance Charity has funded 28 LUCAS 3 robots to support crews across Bucks, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire.
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