Avon & Somerset Police Bleed Kit Initiative
Avon and Somerset Police have embarked on a collaborative effort with HeartSafe and NHS England South-West. This partnership marks a significant advancement in public health and safety, focused on the crucial goal of providing immediate aid in emergency situations. Highlighting our collective commitment to safeguarding communities, this initiative bridges vital resources with local needs.
Our Mission
A simple, easy to understand kit of life-saving essentials designed for use under 999 guidance to help treat a catastrophic trauma patient until emergency services arrive.
Developed with the support of the NHS and 999 emergency services, this kit is designed to include essentials for use by untrained members of the public.
Avon and Somerset Police have joined up with HeartSafe and NHS England South-West to launch a joint initiative to place Emergency Bleed Kits in local communities.
To date, the partnership has funded over 600 bleed kits either attached to existing HeartSafe defibrillator cabinets, or wall mounted in prominent locations across the Avon and Somerset region. This allows the public immediate access to lifesaving equipment should a person suffer a catastrophic bleed.
Our Principles...
- Immediate Availability
- Don't lock Bleed Kits in cabinets.
- Make It Simple
- Keep kits easy to obtain, understand and use in an emergency
- Provide Open Mapping
- Drives community engagement and local knowledge of locations
- Maximise Rollout
- Money is tight! Simple Dispensers instead of cabinets give at least double the number of locations per £ Spent. More kits = More chances to save a life!
- Be Everywhere!
- Kits installed indoor/outdoor wherever wanted or needed
- Drive Visibility
- Prominent kits drive community engagement on knife crime prevention
- Long-Term Solution
- Include an end-to-end management system with registration and backup. Not just fit and forget ‘tick-the-box’ provision
- Full Replenishment Mechanism
- Simple QR scan guides user to replenishment channel
- Expandable Across UK
- Built to help save lives nationally. Easy provision for local Police, Charity or Community branding
In a vital effort to enhance public safety and emergency responsiveness, a new initiative has been launched aiming to deliver bleed kits into the hands of the general public.
These kits are designed to provide immediate, lifesaving intervention for individuals experiencing severe bleeding due to traumatic injuries. Strategically placed in highly visible red dispensers, these trauma kits will be accessible free of charge across a range of public spaces and within key business premises such as entertainment venues, pubs, restaurants, shops, and clubs, ensuring that critical first aid is available even before medical professionals arrive on the scene.
The project, a collaborative endeavor initiated by Avon and Somerset Police in response to violent crime, goes beyond just the distribution of bleed kits. It includes an educational component where police may offer training at venues equipped with these kits, thereby raising awareness and cultivating the skills necessary for effective emergency interventions. This comprehensive approach aims to empower individuals across the community to act swiftly and effectively in life-threatening situations, whether they arise from violent incidents, traffic collisions, or other forms of severe injury, making a significant contribution to public safety and health.
Managing Essential Bleed Kits for the Future
Avon and Somerset Police have agreed a legacy fund for the ongoing management and replacement of these kits
This is not a one-off ‘fit and forget’ tick-the-box provision…
- The ongoing management scheme incorporates:
- Regular checking of all sites on local policing unit's patrols
- A system with HeartSafe which notifies when items in each kit with expiry dates need to be replaced
- A system with HeartSafe to alert local policing teams when a kit has been used
- A simple QR scan system to allow replacement kits to be reordered in the event of usage, theft or tamper
Our Bleed Kit Partnership Brochure
For a comprehensive overview of the Community Bleed Kit Partnership initiative, we invite you to download our detailed brochure. Inside, you’ll find in-depth information about the initiative’s goals, benefits, and how you can get involved in making our communities safer.
HeartSafe are proud to source our products within the UK, collaborating with trusted supplier partners built over many years. Our cabinets and Bleed Control Kit housings are manufactured by ISO9001:2015 and ISO14001 accredited companies, ensuring the highest standards of quality and environmental responsibility.
Our Bleed Control Kits provide laypersons with the essential tools to quickly and effectively manage catastrophic bleeding during the crucial first few minutes, until emergency services arrive.
Each kit is assembled for HeartSafe to fully comply with the BS8599-1 Critical Injury Pack standard. The contents have been developed and approved in collaboration with Avon & Somerset Police, the NHS, and South West Ambulance Service, reflecting expert guidance and local authority input.
HeartSafe partners exclusively with responsible suppliers accredited to all relevant regulations, including those governed by the MHRA. Additionally, we provide full traceability of kit contents through our free mapping and online registration service, ensuring accountability and peace of mind.