THE Isle of Wight NHS Trust has new resuscitation manikins to improve CPR and save lives.

The new life-like resuscitation manikins are giving staff real-time feedback on how well they are performing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (CPR).

Eighteen new manikins will assist with resuscitation training across the trust.

The new Little Anne QCPR (Quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), Little Junior QCPR and Resusci Baby QCPR manikins come complete with a digital skills meter, which feeds back on the performance of chest compressions and ventilations.

Four Laerdal Intubation Babies are also enabling maternity and paediatric staff to use basic and more advanced airway management techniques.

David Turner, senior resuscitation officer, said: "Good basic resuscitation skills can really save lives.

"We can now give quality feedback to trainees on how effective their resuscitation techniques are so they can measure and improve their performance, in turn increasing chance of survival."

The resuscitation service is based at St. Mary’s Hospital, and consists of three resuscitation officers who are all experienced healthcare professionals.

The team run more than 330 courses a year to deliver both basic and advanced resuscitation skills covering newborn, paediatric and adult age groups, to around 2,500 NHS staff members.