In December 2022, Government funding of £1 million was announced to design a grant scheme for the expansion of publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillators in the community.
This fund builds on the work of the Government, NHS and others to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest through the use of defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Defibrillators can provide vital life-saving treatment, with latest research showing that accessing these devices within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%.
On the 20th June 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care published a tender for suitably qualified suppliers to manage and oversee the awarding of Automated External Defibrillators from bidding local organisations.
Successful applicants to the fund will be asked to match or contribute to the funding they receive, potentially doubling the number of new defibrillators created by the fund. In order to expedite the distribution of funding and in readiness for the appointment of our partner organisation, the Government is publishing an expression of interest form for local organisations who want a defibrillator.
