BetaEntity Annotation Prototype
← Back to diseases

Annotated abstract

463 Integrating bystander support into the cardiac arrest pathway: 9-month results of RescQ feasibility pilot

heartjnl · 2026-06-09 · canonical JSON source

2 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

Document resource

Background Bystanders to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) frequently witness traumatic events and often initiate life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), placing them at risk of psychological distress. Despite their critical role in the chain of survival, there is currently no standardised post-event support pathway for OHCA bystanders in the UK. RescQ™ is a technology-enabled feasibility pilot designed to address this unmet need through integration with existing emergency and cardiac arrest care pathways.Aim To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and early demand for RescQ™, a structured digital support platform for OHCA bystanders embedded within regional cardiac arrest services.Methods RescQ™ is a 12-month feasibility pilot conducted in Essex (population 2.2 million), in collaboration with regional land and air ambulance services, a tertiary cardiac arrest centre, patient advocacy group Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK, and a technology partner. This abstract reports an interim analysis of the first 9 months.Trained ambulance clinicians provide a brief on scene debrief and register bystanders using the RescQ™ mobile application on official ambulance service devices. Registrants receive access to a digital resource hub containing written materials and 16 curated videos designed to normalise emotional responses and provide coping strategies. Bystanders may request follow-up from a Liaison Officer (LO) where required (figure 1).Feasibility outcomes were assessed across four domains: process (clinician and bystander uptake), practicality (digital platform engagement), demand (requests for LO support) and efficacy (impact on psychological stress).Results Between April 2020 and January 2026, 210 bystanders were registered, representing approximately 50% of all eligible OHCAs in the region. 1% declined participation. The cohort included 66% bystanders known to the patient and 34% unknown; 11% were under 18 years of age ( figure 2).Engagement with the digital platform was high, with 96% of registrants accessing the resource hub at least once and a mean of 20 visits per user (4,000 total visits).Twenty-one bystanders (10%) requested LO follow-up, all of whom were contacted within 24 hours. A reduction of 29% in both average Acute Stress Reaction Score (8.7 vs 6.2) and CORE-10 score (17 vs 12) and a 36% reduction in NSESSS score (3.1 vs 2) was seen after the LO intervention.Seven bystanders (33% of those requesting LO support) required onward referral for counselling or peer support.Conclusions RescQ™ represents the first structured, digitally enabled support pathway for OHCA bystanders in the UK. Interim findings demonstrate high uptake, strong engagement with support resources, and measurable demand for post-event psychological support, without disruption to emergency care workflows. These results support the feasibility of integrating bystander support into cardiac arrest systems of care and provide a foundation for wider regional and national implementation.Abstract 463 Figure 1RescQ™ support pathwayAbstract 463 Figure 2RescQ: 9-month results