science
Nationwide to Install Defibrillators and Bleed-Control Kits in All 605 Branches by 2026 While Pledging to Keep Them Open Until at Least 2030
The mutual lender is partnering with Visa and St John Ambulance to place defibrillators and bleed-control kits in every branch and train 4,000 staff and community members.
The IndependentAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Nationwide Building Society will equip all 605 of its branches with defibrillators and bleed-control kits by the end of 2026 under a partnership with Visa. St John Ambulance will deliver first-aid training to 4,000 Nationwide employees and residents in the communities the branches serve.
The equipment rollout and training program coincide with Nationwide’s earlier commitment to keep every branch open until at least 2030.
Amanda Beech, Nationwide’s director of retail services, said the initiative turns branches into “visible, emergency hubs” so that “help when every second counts” is easier to reach. ” A defibrillator delivers an electrical shock from the right shoulder to the left armpit to restore normal heart rhythm during cardiac arrest, according to James McNulty-Ackroyd, head of clinical projects and paramedic at St John Ambulance.
McNulty-Ackroyd said the devices, often labeled AEDs, automatically analyze heart rhythm and will only shock when the heart is in a shockable pattern.
In such cases, McNulty-Ackroyd said, victims require both a defibrillator and high-quality CPR.
