Paying tribute to Professor Douglas Chamberlain

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Douglas Chamberlain CBE OStJ KSG, who dedicated his long professional life to transforming the response to a cardiac arrest.

In his early career during the 1960s, Professor Chamberlain initiated resuscitation training programmes within hospitals and the emergency services.

He drove transformational and lasting change in national health policy and by the 1970s, he worked with BHF to set up the first CPR training programme, known as Heartstart.

This initiative meant that members of the public would recognise a cardiac arrest and know how to do CPR.   

Paying tribute to Professor Chamberlain,  Professor Bryan Williams OBE, our chief scientific and medical officer said: "From introducing the role of paramedics, to placing the first defibrillators in public places for anyone to use, Douglas paved the way for countless lives to be saved.

"His relentless passion and drive throughout his exemplary career, continues to inspire the generations that have come after him to persevere with improving the survival rates from cardiac arrest.

"Colleagues who had the pleasure of working with Douglas remember him fondly for his sharp intellect and excellent wit and sense of humour. He will be greatly missed. We send our sincere condolences to his family."