Where Do I Call 999 In Assessing Response

CPR in 2025: The Core Stays the Same – But the Details Have Evolved

When someone collapses and stops breathing, the actions taken in the first few minutes can quite literally be the difference between life and death. For decades, the message has remained the same: call 999, start CPR, and use a defibrillator as soon as possible. Do you ask, where do I call 999 in assessing response? This hasn’t changed, and remains the most important thing for anyone to know.

But with the publication of the Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines 2025, the way we approach, teach, and support these core actions has evolved. While the fundamentals of CPR remain the same, the refinements introduced in the new guidance are significant. They will influence how schools, workplaces, community venues, and first aid trainers prepare for emergencies.

As a training provider working across education, childcare, and business sectors, these changes matter. They shape not only how we teach, but also how organisations set up their policies, equipment, and emergency response systems.

In this blog, we’ll explore what’s changed, why it matters, and what you should be doing now to stay aligned with best practice.

Why the Core Principles Still Matter

No matter how much guidance updates, one fact remains: simple actions save lives.

If you witness a cardiac arrest, you do not need to remember complicated steps, medical jargon, or perfect technique. You need to remember three essential things:

Call 999
Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest
Use a defibrillator as soon as one is available

These three steps form the backbone of the UK chain of survival and continue to be the most powerful actions a bystander can take. They are simple, memorable, and effective.

The 2025 guidelines reinforce this: most lives are saved not by professionals, but by everyday people who act quickly and confidently.

So What’s Changed? Important Refinements in the 2025 Update

Although the basics of CPR remain unchanged, the supporting advice around them has developed considerably. These refinements are designed to make the system surrounding CPR more efficient, easier to use, and more supportive for both trained and untrained responders.

Here are the key areas where the new guidance adds clarity and improvement:

1. Calling 999 Is Now Step One – Immediately

One of the most important refinements in the new guidance is the emphasis on calling 999 at the very first sign of an unresponsive person. Previously, people were encouraged to first check for normal breathing and then call.

The new approach means:

As soon as someone is unresponsive, call 999 immediately
The call handler will guide you through assessing breathing
If CPR is needed, they will coach you through each step
This reduces delays and ensures help is mobilised as quickly as possible

Why does this matter?

Because every minute without CPR reduces survival by around 10%. By calling 999 earlier, the caller gets professional guidance sooner, which improves both the speed and the quality of the response.

2. AEDs Must Be Accessible, Visible and Unlocked

Defibrillators (AEDs) have always been vital in cardiac arrest. But the 2025 guidelines highlight a stronger expectation on organisations to ensure:

AEDs are accessible 24 hours a day, not locked behind closed doors
They are clearly signposted
Staff, pupils, and visitors know where they are
The location is registered with national AED databases
They are maintained and checked regularly

The new guidance recognises that public access defibrillation dramatically increases the chances of survival, but only if the device can actually be reached.

For schools, nurseries, sports centres, community venues, and workplaces, this may mean re-evaluating where your AED currently sits and whether it is truly accessible in an emergency.

3. Training Methods Are Being Modernised

Another major focus of the 2025 guidelines is improving how CPR and first aid are taught. The update encourages:

More scenario-based training
Simulated real-life situations, not just theory
Interactive, confidence-building exercises
Clearer emphasis on early action, decision-making, and speed
Simplified messaging so learners feel empowered, not intimidated

The new guidance recognises that panic and hesitation are the biggest barriers to bystander CPR; not lack of ability.

Modern training therefore shifts towards giving learners:

More hands-on practice
Repetition of key actions
Better understanding of what a real emergency looks and feels like
Confidence to act even when unsure
Clear priorities rather than complex checklists

For training providers, this means refreshing course content, updating teaching styles, and making sure trainers understand the new educational focus.

4. A Broader View of Life-Threatening Emergencies

Perhaps one of the biggest overall changes is the introduction of an expanded first aid chapter, which covers a broader range of life-threatening conditions. These include:

Stroke
Heart attack
Hypoglycaemia
Opioid overdose
Catastrophic bleeding
Heatstroke
Hypothermia
Anaphylaxis

The update uses the ABCDE approach (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure) to help first aiders assess and respond more systematically.

Why is this important?

Because cardiac arrest is often the end point of an untreated medical emergency. By training first aiders to recognise early warning signs, we can prevent some cardiac arrests from happening in the first place.

5. Paediatric CPR and First Aid Refinements

For organisations working with children; schools, nurseries, childcare providers, the 2025 guidelines also include updates for:

Infant hand placement and compression techniques
AED pad use and positioning in children
Managing deterioration in infants and young children
Recognising breathing problems earlier
Structured ABCDE assessments

Because children rarely suffer cardiac arrest from cardiac causes, early recognition and effective intervention are crucial. These refinements support better care in paediatric settings.

6. A Bigger Focus on the System Around CPR

One of the most progressive shifts in the 2025 guidelines is the focus on whole-system resuscitation.

The idea is simple: saving a life isn’t just about CPR; it’s about how effectively the entire chain functions. This means:

The bystander
The emergency call handler
Local AED provision
The ambulance service
Hospital teams
Post-arrest care

Working together, these elements dramatically increase survival rates.

The update encourages organisations, schools, and communities to see themselves not as isolated responders but as active links in a much wider system. This includes ensuring:

AEDs are registered
Staff know how to call for help
Emergency procedures are clear
Policies are updated regularly
Training is refreshed
Roles and responsibilities are understood

7. Ethics, Decision-Making and Respectful Care

The new guidelines also place more emphasis on:

Person-centred decisions
Respecting individual wishes
Clear communication with families
Understanding care plans such as ReSPECT forms
Supporting staff after traumatic incidents

This helps ensure that CPR is delivered professionally, compassionately, and with the person’s dignity in mind.

What These Changes Mean for Schools and Workplaces

Whether you’re a headteacher, manager, or responsible person for first aid, these refinements affect your daily practice.

Here’s what you should be thinking about now:

1. Update your policies

Make sure your first aid and CPR procedures reflect the new priorities, especially around calling 999 and AED access.

2. Review your equipment

Check your AED is visible, accessible, unlocked when possible, and correctly registered.

3. Refresh staff training

From 2026, first aid courses in the UK will be aligned with the new guidelines. Ensure your workforce stays up to date.

4. Check your risk assessments

Schools, nurseries, sports clubs and workplaces often have unique risks. Ensure these are considered in light of the new guidance.

5. Communicate with your community

Parents, staff, volunteers, and visitors should know where the AED is and what to do in an emergency.

Why These Refinements Matter

Every adjustment in the 2025 guidelines is designed to:

Remove barriers to quick action
Boost bystander confidence
Improve survival rates
Simplify CPR for everyday people
Help organisations meet best practice standards
Strengthen the chain of survival

The message is clear: when you know what to do, and you act quickly, you give someone the best possible chance of survival.

These refinements are not about making CPR harder. They are about empowering more people to do it well.

How We Are Adapting Our Training

As a training provider, we are already reviewing and updating all first aid and CPR training materials so that:

Our courses reflect the latest science
Our scenarios mimic real emergencies
Learners feel confident, prepared, and supported
Schools and workplaces receive up-to-date guidance
AED and first aid policies are aligned with 2025 expectations
Training feels realistic, not overwhelming

From early 2026, all of our first aid at work, paediatric first aid, emergency first aid, school staff training and community workshops will include the full set of guideline updates.

If your organisation wants to stay ahead of the curve, now is the time to review:

Your first aid needs
Your AED setup
Your staff training cycles
Your emergency plans

We’re here to help you do exactly that.

Final Thoughts: The Core Stays the Same, But We Can Save More Lives – where do I call 999 in assessing response

The most important CPR actions haven’t changed. If you remember nothing else, remember this:

Call 999.
Push hard and fast.
Use an AED.

But the world around those steps is evolving—and improving. The 2025 guidelines help create a more confident, better-prepared public and more supportive systems across the UK.

Every refinement brings us closer to saving more lives.

Our current first aid courses;

Our Emergency and First Aid at Work courses are for those working in an office, factory, warehouse, manufacturing or on a building site. These courses will set you up to know exactly what to do in an emergency. Completing our courses will help you understand the hazards and risks in your workplace to therefore prevent accidents.

Apprentices, staff who are unlikely to be left alone with children, and lunchtime supervisors are all candidates for our Emergency Paediatric First Aid Training. Our one-day course includes roles and responsibilities of a first aider, first aid kits, accident reporting, reasons of a life-threatening condition, CPR, defibrillator, causes of unconsciousness and recovery position, choking, bleeding, burns, and minor injuries.

Our Paediatric First Aid Training 2-day course includes all elements of the one-day first course including; broken bones, spinal injuries, head injuries, slings, sprains and strains, diabetes, febrile convulsions, hypothermia, hyperthermia, epilepsy, poisons, eye injuries, allergies and anaphylaxis, and asthma.

This course is ideal for those working alone with children, whether you are a Teacher or Teaching Assistant working in the Early Years or a childminder. Our Paediatric courses are fully accredited. We have open courses running at our Brownhills Centre or we can come to your setting.

Additionally, if you prefer to have a short session with us and complete a bespoke parents/grandparents course; our Parent’s first aid course is for you. These start from 2 hours up to 4 hours. Can include any modules of your choice, but we will cover: reasons of life-threatening conditions, CPR, Defibrillator, unconsciousness, recovery, choking and gagging, burns, and minor illnesses, including dangers within the home.

Our courses provide you with the peace of mind that you’ll know what to do in the event of an emergency, such as illnesses like asthma. Furthermore, getting first aid training will give you the skill set of knowing exactly what to do if your child, friend, or work colleague suffers from an injury or life threatening condition. Never put yourself in a situation where you’re thinking, “where do I call 999 in assessing response?” Get First Aid Trained Today!

If you have any questions with this blog we are happy to help. New Guidance on where the defibrillator pads are applied. If you want to know how, our Emergency First Aid at Work Course, is the course for you. Here is the link to our upcoming courses. https://www.hmbtrainingservices.co.uk/courses

For further enquiries, please call us on: 01543 453338 or email on info@hmbtrainingservices.co.uk