Help increase access to lifesaving heart defibrillators locally

Did you know that more than 4,200 cardiac arrests happened out of hospital in London in 2023 according to the latest data from the British Heart foundation? It is a medical emergency when someone’s heart stops beating, and every second matters.

According to the UK Resuscitation Council and British Heart Foundation, fewer than 1 in 10 people survive cardiac arrest outside of hospital, and a big contributor to this is not being able to provide defibrillation within a critical time period.

A defibrillator is an easy-to-use, portable device that guides cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), assesses heart rhythms and can deliver a controlled electric shock to the chest safely. It tries to get the heart to beat normally again when someone has had a cardiac arrest, which can be hugely important while you wait for emergency services to arrive. If a defibrillator is used within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival increases from 6% up to 50-70%.

Half of out of hospital cardiac arrests are witnessed by a bystander. This is why having 24/7 public access defibrillators in as many community settings as possible is still so important. The British Heart Foundation advises that a defibrillator should be   within 200 metres reach of a community space, or a brisk, or a four-minute walk roundtrip. While these already exist in some high-traffic places like railway stations, schools, places of worship, and some community centres and shops, more are needed in our community spaces to achieve the recommended coverage.

Defibrillator funding schemes

Local community groups and organisations can help to guarantee the availability of lifesaving defibrillators in their area by applying to have one installed. Funding support for installation costs is available through the following schemes:

• London Hearts, the leading UK heart defibrillator charity, offers applications for partial grant funding. They also provide free CPR and Defibrillator awareness training on their website.
• The Department of Health and Social Care offer match defibrillator funding for community spaces across England. Online awareness training is also provided.

Director of Public Health – Shannon Katiyo said ‘this initiative aims to increase the availability of defibrillators, and this is welcome. Improving your heart health is one of the best ways to lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease and this reduces the risk of a cardiac arrest.’ You can improve heart health by eating a healthy balanced diet, being physically active, keeping a healthy weight, and stopping smoking.’

Support for residents 

Many instances of cardiac arrest happen because of an underlying heart condition. Residents aged 40 and over can help to reduce their risk of developing common conditions, like heart disease and stroke, by going for a free, 20-minute NHS Health Check every five years at a local pharmacy or GP surgery.

You can also speak to organisations such as Wandsworth Health Watch who can provide you with more information and help you to identify the services and support you may need. Wandsworth Health Watch will refer you to local health services and aim to provide a single point of contact to help people find information about their health choices.

While public defibrillators are very easy to use, The London Ambulance Service also provides defibrillator training for communities and organisations who would like the extra support, through their London Lifesavers campaign.

For more information and advice around getting a defibrillator for your community, visit the British Heart Foundation website.