The NSW Premier is to be applauded… but how can we help?
New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, announced on 6 June 2022 a one-off $4.5 billion funding package for the health sector in the upcoming state budget which will include funding an extra 10,000 doctors, nurses and other health staff across the state.
Included in the package is a $3,000 bonus for healthcare staff as a thank you for their work during the pandemic.
“Today we’re announcing the biggest boost in our health workforce in the state’s history and the largest in the country,” Mr Perrottet said.
HOWEVER, it is incumbent on us to do everything we can to relieve the pressure on the healthcare system by taking our health and wellbeing into our own hands.
An obvious example is to reduce the devastating impact of Australia’s Number 1 killer, sudden cardiac arrest!
Instead of waiting for paramedics to arrive to administer a defibrillator shock and apply CPR – sadly they often arrive too late meaning that 75% of sudden cardiac arrest victims are too late to save with a shock – an untrained bystander can immediately administer CPR and a shock… IF a defibrillator is at hand.
The stats are compelling: the presence of a defibrillator within a 180 seconds round trip from the victim, together with CPR, can increase the chance of survival of a victim of sudden cardiac arrest from less than 6% to over 60%!
Today’s leading defibrillators can be used by any untrained bystander as they provide audible feedback and coaching on CPR, and automatically administer the shock.
These defibrillators are lightweight, sturdy and can cost less than, say, $2,000 which, when amortised over the 8 year life of the unit, equates to $250 per annum (less if bought by a company that receives a tax deduction) – a very small price to pay to save a life.
Most sudden cardiac arrests occur at home, so consider buying one for your loved ones today. And, if you run a public, private or not for profit organisation, you have an obligation to care for staff and customers.
So, while the Premier’s announcement is most welcome, it’s up to us to do our part – commencing with reducing unnecessary deaths caused by sudden cardiac arrest!
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