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Doctors resuscitate man who had cardiac arrest outside Headcorn Surgery while on way to get Covid vaccine

A doctor says it was "part of the job" when she and colleagues sprang to action after a man had a cardiac arrest in a GP surgery car park.

A man who had collapsed outside Headcorn Surgery, in Grigg Lane, on his way to get the a coronavirus vaccine was resuscitated by doctors in the pouring rain, as bystanders held umbrellas over the group.

Headcorn surgery, where a man had a cardiac arrest
Headcorn surgery, where a man had a cardiac arrest

Dr Karen Potterton, from Headcorn Surgery said: "It was part of the job. We just went into automatic. All of us have done hospital jobs, and it's like doing it in hospital, we would resuscitate in a team."

CPR was started and then the man was given shocks with a defibrillator and oxygen.

He was resuscitated and the ambulance arrived, where he was given further treatment before taken to hospital. Meanwhile the surgery team tried to shield members of the public from the efforts.

Dr Potterton was joined by Dr Andrew Taylor and Amy Gillespie from Len Valley Practice.

She praised bystanders who brought coats for the man as he lay on the ground.

Dr Karen Potterton from Headcorn Surgery
Dr Karen Potterton from Headcorn Surgery

This incident happened on Thursday morning.

A Facebook statement posted the next day by the surgery said: "The patient is now being cared for in hospital and we've been told they are doing well, we wish them all the best and for a speedy and full recovery."

A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service said: "We were called at approximately 11.10am on Thursday 14 January to reports a person had collapsed outside Headcorn Surgery. Ambulance crews attended the scene and the patient was treated before being taken to hospital.

"Our thanks and praise goes to medical staff from the surgery who began resuscitating the patient prior to our arrival."

Headcorn Surgery is providing vaccines not only to patients registered at Headcorn, but also various practices in the area.

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