Agreed, 8 mins silly number. As for starting CPR, always have a go. The casualty may have collapsed five mins ago but their heart may have not stopped until just now. Agenda for change seems like CHANGE and people hate the uncertainty of change. I've been following some of the comments on A4C and I still would love to join a service and become a paramedic. I have a degree and a doctorate and twenty years as a scientist and I still don't make £30K p.a. and if I don't take a lunch break the company still takes half an hour off my timesheet.