The Urgent Need for London Ambulance Service to Provide Bleed Kit Locations & Access Codes to Bleed Control Cabinets
In the past month alone, five lives have been saved due to the immediate availability of The Daniel Baird Foundation life-saving bleed control kits in public accessible bleed control cabinets. These successes stem from communities collaborating and regional ambulance services providing locations and access codes to callers. Despite the evident benefits, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) has not fully engaged with this critical initiative. This delay is costing lives.
The Critical Importance of Immediate Access to Life-Saving Kits
Let The Youth Live installed the first community bleed control cabinet in London in 2021, and since then, have distributed hundreds of kits across Southwark and Lambeth, as well as other boroughs in London. Immediate access to these kits can mean the difference between life and death. Catastrophic blood loss can cause a person to bleed to death in just 3-5 minutes, while ambulances in London typically take 6-7 minutes to arrive. These kits are essential in bridging this critical time gap, preventing deaths from stabbings, shootings, or road traffic accidents.
The Need for LAS’s Full Participation
Despite the proven nationwide effectiveness of these kits, LAS has not yet integrated the locations and access codes for these kits into their system. As of October 2023, there was no confirmation that LAS is logging the details of these vital bleed control cabinets. This delay is not merely bureaucratic—it is deadly. People are losing their lives because they cannot access these life-saving kits in critical situations.
A Coordinated Approach is Essential
All cabinets registered to Turtle Engineering are being added to the GoodSAM app as an interim solution while awaiting LAS to update their system. However, this piecemeal approach is insufficient. A coordinated, city-wide strategy like that of the West Midlands Ambulance Service is urgently needed. This is not just a logistical issue; it is a matter of life and death, and the community demands it.
Where is the Leadership?
The silence from key figures such as Mayor Sadiq Khan and other MPs is deafening. They have the power to compel LAS to adopt this life-saving measure, yet they have not acted. Their inaction is contributing to preventable deaths in London. This is unacceptable.
LAS’s Current Stance is Shocking
A spokesperson for LAS stated, “The London Ambulance Service is not participating in the bleed control kit scheme directly. LAS supports simple first aid measures—including applying direct pressure to an actively bleeding wound—that are vital and require little or no equipment. However, the responsibility, training, and dispatch of bleed kits does not sit with ambulance services.”
This stance ignores the urgent, time-sensitive nature of catastrophic bleeding. While basic first aid is crucial, immediate access to specialized equipment can significantly improve survival rates. Relying solely on first aid measures without providing access to bleed control kits is a dangerous oversight.
Conclusion
The LAS claims it shares the goal of preventing deaths and saving lives. By fully participating in the bleed control cabinet initiative, LAS can ensure that Londoners have immediate access to life-saving equipment in critical moments. This is a necessity. The community demands action. How many more lives need to be lost to bleeding out on our streets? The time to act is now. No more excuses. No more delays. Lives are depending on it.
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