UHDB colleagues recognised for teaching life-saving CPR skills to diverse communities across Derbyshire
Two UHDB colleagues have been praised for their work which aims to teach and raise awareness of critical life-saving skills across Derbyshire's diverse communities - directly addressing health inequalities among ethnic minority and deprived community groups in the region.
Nichola Lightfoot and Nicole Abbott, Resuscitation and Simulation trainers at UHDB, have been working as part of a project to equip our communities with CPR skills, and other life-saving techniques, which can make a vital difference in an emergency.
The duo also used this as an opportunity to talk about a new clinical change that empowers people to make choices about their own care in emergency situations. Our ReSPECT process, (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) is a summary of personalised recommendations for a person’s clinical care in a future emergency - in the event they do not have the capacity to make choices, often due to cultural or language barriers.
Bridging the gap in medical or clinical knowledge across diverse communities is a key part of our organisation's unwavering commitment to pursuing race equality both in our workplace, and in the care we deliver - and Nichola and Nicole's project is just one example of the work we are doing to do this.
For their efforts, described as “instrumental” by David Jones, Resuscitation and Clinical Skills Manager, Nichola and Nicole received the CEO Making a Difference Award presented during a surprise ceremony at Royal Derby Hospital, by Chief Executive, Stephen Posey.
Speaking after receiving the award, Nichola shared her reflections, saying: “I feel quite emotional - touched, even. Moments like this make you realise what you’re doing is making a difference - and we really weren't expecting this so it's an incredible surprise."
Health inequalities and resuscitation
People from ethnic minority background are more likely to have heart attacks outside of hospital (known as out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, or OHCA), often due to underlying health conditions like cardiovascular disease, which also disproportionately affects these groups.
59% of people from ethnic minority groups also said they lacked the skills and knowledge to perform CPR, and the Resuscitation Council UK health inequalities report > outlines that increasing bystander training for CPR improves the chances of individuals surviving heart attacks in the community.
Every second matters when someone has a heart attack and differences in ethnicity, cultural background and socio-economic status should not determine whether someone can survive a heart attack outside of a hospital.
The exceptional work led by Nicole and Nichola will play a key role to empower our local residents to feel confident to deliver CPR training in the event that someone has a heart attack outside the hospital, improving their chances of surviving and bridging the shocking disparities gap between different community groups.
Delivering CPR training and leading ReSPECT conversation in the community
Nichola and Nicole used Trust data to identify communities at higher risk of poorer outcomes around surviving OHCA or lower instances of CPR intervention.
Working with our EMBRACE Staff network and our End-of-Life Care team, they have delivered CPR and resuscitation skills training and led discussions on the ReSPECT process to groups across Derby, including African-Caribbean and Indian communities, with plans to reach out to our Chinese community next.
Nichola explained: “We teach something incredibly valuable - basic life support skills, for emergencies where every second counts. This is about bridging the gap between communities and the NHS. It’s not just about saving lives - but also about learning from different cultures in the process. I’ve learnt so much from meeting everybody, and I hope it will make me a better professional going forward.”
The training sessions have also highlighted the barriers that can be present in learning for people from different cultures or backgrounds.
Nicole reflected on her experience in training international nurses, saying: “How people are taught things can vary so much depending on where they’re from. I’ve found it really interesting to explain why we do things the way we do in the UK, and to hear different perspectives. That feedback can only help us improve.”
She emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the new ReSPECT plans within communities, “It’s about discussing what people wish for in situations where they might not be able to communicate themselves - whether that’s CPR, palliative treatment, or other care preferences.”
Nichola shared how she’s even started teaching her teenage daughter: “It’s a life-saving skill. You never know when you’ll need it.”
The pair's outreach work has had a transformative impact, particularly in communities where conversations about emergency care planning and resuscitation may not be common.
Nichola recounted their visit to the Hindu Temple Geeta Bhawan in Derby: “It’s about starting those discussions outside of the hospital setting - helping people recognise when someone might need help and giving them the tools to act.”
Presenting the award, Chief Executive Stephen Posey praised Nichola and Nicole's dedication and impact, saying: “Nichola and Nicole have gone above and beyond to bring vital life-saving skills to our communities.
"Their work is a shining example of the incredible difference we can make when we collaborate, listen, and learn from one another - and I hope that we all take inspiration from this outstanding approach."