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An incident at the Queens Head Pub in Newark, Nottinghamshire saw staff from several pubs work together to save a woman’s life




Quick thinking by bar staff working together saved a woman's life last night (Saturday).

Staff at the Queens Head Pub in Newark contacted the Old King’s Arms landlord David Smith to help after a woman suffered several fits due to a pre-existing medical condition — and collapsed.

The Old King's Arms landlord has had training on the defibrillator and in CPR.

Old King's Arms landlord David Smith with the pub's defibrillator.
Old King's Arms landlord David Smith with the pub's defibrillator.

David said he has also previously helped in similar situations and he sprung into action to get to the pub around the corner from him.

He grabbed the defibrillator which is mounted on the outside wall at the Old King’s Arms on nearby Kirkgate and went to the Queen's Head pub on the Market Place to assist.

The Queens Head Pub was approached for comment and a spokesman confirmed that the incident had taken place.

The Queen's Head in Newark Market Place
The Queen's Head in Newark Market Place

The spokesman also added that their security were first aid trained.

"Last night I was called by bar staff from the Queen's Head after a lady had collapsed," said David.

"She was unconscious and had stopped breathing.

"I grabbed the defibrillator from our pub and headed over."

David said that there were people who were with the woman who were understandably upset and shocked at the situation.

Several people were crying, he added.

"When I arrived, I immediately administered CPR and also attached the defibrillator to the patient," said David.

David said the defibrillator registered that no shock was advised and the woman soon regained consciousness after the first round of CPR.

"The ambulance responded and took the lady to hospital," said David.

"By then she was alert and fully conscious.

"It seemed like a lifetime passed before the ambulance came but in hindsight, they arrived quite quickly."

David said that there was a huge sense of relief from people in the vicinity after the woman regained consciousness.

The Old King’s Arms' defibrillator has been in place for around three months and has already been used before to help save someone's life.

The device was successfully used in July when a woman went into cardiac arrest outside of Yorkshire Trading.

The survival rate following a cardiac arrest out of hospital jumps from 7% to 64% with the use of a defibrillator, which delivers an electric shock to someone in cardiac arrest.

David said that his pub is still fundraising towards the £400 cost of a bleed kit, which stems the flow of blood in an incident such as a stabbing.

People can make donations towards the kit at the Old King’s Arms pub.

He added that the latest incident demonstrated the importance of defibrillators and training on their use — even if it turns out that no shock is advised.

"We pride ourselves on being a community pub and these donations are from the community, for the community," said David.

"Many other people and businesses outside of the pub also benefit from these fundraising efforts.

"This equipment should be easily accessible everywhere because it is proven to save lives.

David added that training in this equipment is also vitally important and encouraged people to learn how to use it.

The Rutland Arms pub is currently raising money to purchase a defibrillator of their own after landlord David Potter suffered a heart attack there a few weeks ago.



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