Public Access Trauma Bleed Control Kits (PAcTs):  Research Reveals The South West Have The Most In The UK

Severe bleeding is an emergency that can become life-threatening without medical attention, leading to casualties losing so much blood that their circulatory system fails. In the UK, sharp instruments (including knives) were involved in 41% of the 594 homicides that happened in 2022/23 in England and Wales. Knife crime is a leading cause of death in the UK – which is why steps need to be taken to help control severe bleeding to save lives. 

Bleed control kits are a recent initiative that aims to play a vital role in saving lives. They were first introduced to the UK in a pilot scheme in Birmingham in June 2019 and the first official rollout then happened in 2020.

Our team at CE Safety have researched PAcT bleed control kits, and found which region in the UK has the most of these emergency kits installed, using data retrieved from Freedom of Information requests.

What is a bleed control kit?

A bleed control kit is a specialised kit that contains products that can help stop severe bleeding after an injury. Bleed control kits aim to help save the life of someone who is suffering from a severe wound, and risks bleeding out. The aim of these kits is to provide life-saving assistance before paramedics arrive.

How does it work?

PAcT bleed control kits have been placed across the UK in various cities in a similar way that defibrillators have. To use one you will need to call 999 and an operator will guide you to your nearest bleed kit, giving you a code to gain access. Once you are inside the bleed control kit, you’ll have several life-saving products at your disposal. 

HeartSafe have created a bleed control kit map that shows you the nearest kits in your area: https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/bleed-kit-map/ 

On this website, you can register your own bleed control kit for the public to use, and find out where your nearest ones are located. It’s important to remember to call 999 in an emergency, as they will direct you to your closest bleed control kit and tell you what you need to do.

Bleed Control Kit Statistics in the UK

Our team at CE Safety sent out Freedom of Information Requests (FOIs) to 45 public authorities across the UK requesting data about how many bleed control kits are located in the area, how many have been used in the past 5 years, and how these authorities check to see if the bleed control kits have been vandalised or are in date. 

Out of the 45 local authorities we contacted, 10 shared required information. 33 responded to us to inform us that they hold no relevant information. Two did not respond after either asking for more information or passing on our request to a different department. 

The results below show that the largest number of bleed control kits are in the Avon and Somerset region. This area has had the biggest rollout of bleed control kits across the country, as 500 can be located there.

Here are the full results.

Our team found that Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, and Northamptonshire are the three areas in the UK that have the most bleed control kits available. 

Public Authority	Amount of Bleed Kits
Avon and Somerset	500
Bedfordshire	130
Northamptonshire	103
Derbyshire	56
Cleveland	13
Staffordshire	6
Durham	3
Cheshire	1
Hertfordshire	1

From this data it’s clear that Avon and Somerset have the most amount of bleed control kits installed in the entire country, at 500. This public authority was followed by Bedfordshire, where there were 130 of the emergency kits available, and not far behind was Northamptonshire, also with over 100, at 103. There are 56 public bleed control kits available in Derbyshire, and there are 13 in Cleveland. Staffordshire has 6 bleed control kits and Durham has 3, while Cheshire and Hertfordshire both have a bleed kit installed. 

In response to our Freedom of Information request, Gloucestershire shared that the public have access to haemorrhage control kits at social services sites including job centres. 

Avon and Somerset police joined forces with HeartSafe and NHS England South West to place emergency bleed control kits across the South West within local communities. At the time of writing, there are over 500 bleed control kits available in the Avon and Somerset region, which provide lifesaving trauma kits to those in emergency situations.

PAcT bleed control kits are placed on prominent locations across the region, with Bristol being a key location. They are there to provide life-saving aid to those who need it, and to tackle knife crime in the area. The bleed control kit rollout announcement was made in September 2023. According to the HeartSafe bleed control kit map, the Avon and Somerset region has the most publicly accessible bleed control kits available. 

In February 2024, several areas increased their efforts to raise awareness about knife crime and the sometimes fatal injuries it can lead to. Avon and Somerset Police announced an operation to combat knife crime, which resulted in talks being delivered by the police to young people in the area which highlighted the dangers of carrying a knife. Additionally, the police force worked together with Bristol City Council on a short film about knife crime to educate people. The announcement in February 2024 came just 2 weeks after two teenage boys were stabbed to death in a knife attack in Knowle West, Bristol.

We asked Avon and Somerset Police for information regarding bleed control kits in the area. The police told us that there have been 5 bleed control kits used in medical emergencies by the public. When asked about how often these bleed control kits are checked, we were told that all of the sites are checked weekly by their local policing neighbourhood teams, police volunteers, and site guardians. 

Avon and Somerset Police also shared that all sites are tracked using a live database that records all equipment’s expiry dates to ensure that all items can be replaced when needed.

The Latest Knife Crime Statistics in England and Wales

Bleed control kits have been installed to help reduce the amount of knife-crime fatalities in the UK. Introducing bleed control kits across the country could be the difference between life and death for some people. This is because the public will have access to the life-saving medical supplies listed above that could save someone’s life during the critical period between an attack and paramedics arriving. 

Unfortunately knife crime is prevalent in the UK, as the latest statistics show a frightening amount of offences.

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According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) there were around 50,500 offences involving a sharp instrument in the year ending in March 2024 in England and Wales. (Excluding Greater Manchester). This was 4.4% higher than the year before (2022/23).

Which area in the UK experienced the highest rate of offences?

In 2023/2024, West Midlands police reported 178 offences per 100,000 population, which was the highest rate of reported knife crime, according to ONS data. With this data, it can be said that the Midlands would benefit from more bleed control kits being installed, due to the increased rate of knife crime reported by police, especially as our data revealed that Staffordshire only has 6 bleed control kits installed. 

Interestingly, our data found that the East Midlands seem to have more bleed control kits than the West Midlands, despite the West Midlands having a higher reported knife crime rate. Derbyshire and Northamptonshire are areas in the East Midlands that have a total of 159 bleed control kits according to our FOI data. 

Bleed control kits are a crucial and effective way of helping to save the lives of victims of knife crime. With more bleed control kits installed, especially in places with higher rates of knife crime, the more lives that could be saved.

Hospital admissions

Data from NHS Digital shows us the number of hospital admissions from crime related to a sharp object. It was found that 3,900 cases where someone was admitted to hospital in England in the year 2023/2024 were due to an assault from a sharp object.

The region with the highest knife crime responded by installing bleed control kits 

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It was announced last year that 5 bleed control kits were installed across Birmingham city centre in an effort to save lives. According to ONS data, the West Midlands reported the highest number of reported knife crime in 2023 in the UK. Meaning that these five bleed control kits can play a vital role in saving people’s lives.

This was made possible after a West Midlands police federation member, Kriss Willets, reached out to Zoe Bishop, a police community support officer about installing bleed control kits in Bristol. Willets approached Bishop after a fatal stabbing occurred in the city-centre in December 2022.

Bleed control kits allow victims of stabbing or other injuries to receive life-saving treatment before paramedics arrive, which is why they are crucial, especially in places with a high rate of reported knife crime activity.  

Birmingham was also the first UK city to have a public access bleed control cabinet installed thanks to the Daniel Baird foundation. This video explains how these bleed control kits work in more detail.

What is inside a bleed control kit?

A bleed control kit has several helpful products in it that can help to stop moderate and severe bleeding. Below are several of the crucial components that you can expect to find in one of these kits:

Large trauma dressings  

These dressings are designed to control moderate to severe bleeding. To use a trauma dressing you will have to put on gloves, tear open the packet, and place the dressing over the wound, covering it entirely. Once the dressing is in place, wrap it tightly around the wound until fully wrapped, then secure in place.

Trauma dressings can be applied to any part of the body except the chest. Chest wounds require a specialist dressing.

Here is a video that shows how to use a trauma dressing: 

Haemostatic dressings

A haemostatic gauze is highly effective in treating severe, life-threatening wounds. To use a haemostatic gauze, put on gloves and insert the dressing into the wound, to come into direct contact with damaged blood vessels and aid in blood clotting. Ensure you firmly hold it there for 3-5 minutes. 

Celox gauzes are a common brand of hemostatic dressings. These gauzes work by releasing granules into the wound that help to form a blood clot. Haemostatic dressings like Celox gauzes should not be used to treat open head wounds or chest wounds.

Here is how to use a haemostatic dressing:

Chest seals

Chest seals are compact dressings that are designed to treat open chest wounds. They also help to prevent pneumothorax (a collapsed lung). They have a strong adhesive material, and a vent with a tab that’s easy to operate. 

To use a chest seal, you should wear gloves, wipe any dirt away from around the injury, and then remove the seal from its packaging. Once you have the seal, place it over the wound adhesive side down, and press firmly on it and around the wound to seal it in place. Use the tab to vent and also re-seal if required.

Here’s how to use a chest seal:

Tactical mechanical tourniquets 

Tactical mechanical tourniquets (TMT) are devices that are designed to manage haemorrhage control in a limb. They are designed to stop severe bleeding, and are easy to use. To use one on yourself or another person, you need to place the tourniquet 5-6cm (2 inches) above the wound, and  pull on the strap. Firmly pull up out and away until the strap is fastening tightly around the limb. Then, twist the bar on the tourniquet until the bleeding stops. Lock the bar in place and wrap the remaining strap around the extremity. These tourniquets should not be placed over a joint (an elbow or knee), and although the application of one may be painful, it can be life-saving.

Note down the time when you administered the tourniquet if you can. Then let medical professionals know when they arrive. Do not attempt to release the tourniquet at any point, only a professional should do this. 

Here is how to use a tactical mechanical torniquet:

Disposable gloves 

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Gloves are necessary in protection against infection, and as personal protection for the wearer. 

Scissors 

Scissors are also provided in a bleed kit, to cut through clothing if need be and to cut bandages and dressings to fit the wounds.

Emergency foil blankets

Foil blankets should be wrapped around the victim to keep them warm. A serious injury like a stab wound that causes severe bleeding can send someone into hypovolemic shock, and it’s important to keep them warm to prevent their condition worsening.  

If someone is bleeding heavily, you must call 999 and ask for an ambulance as soon as possible.The operator will ask questions to help them understand the situation, and they will be able to provide basic medical advice while you wait for the ambulance to arrive. 

We provide emergency first aid courses that provide you with the knowledge to offer essential medical treatment to those who urgently need it. Our emergency first aid at work training course covers how to treat someone who is bleeding externally.