Cardiac arrest victims are less likely to be saved by a defibrillator if they live in a poorer part of the country, MPs have heard.
Abena Oppong-Asare, granted a debate after a constituent lost her father due to a dearth of defibrillators, highlighted our campaign to fellow MPs in the Commons.
She said: “I would like to thank the Mirror, who have run a lengthy campaign to install defibrillators in public spaces.
“They will be interested to know more about the current availability of defibrillators, what sort of public venues are more likely to have them and what public venues where there is a particularly acute absence.”
Ms Oppong-Asare cited research from the Resuscitation Council UK showing the North East had fewer Automated External Defibrillators than other regions.
Martyn Day MP added: “Those in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and are 60% less likely to survive than those in less deprived areas.
“Deprivation also has a significant effect on the likelihood of... bystander CPR.”
There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK. Fewer than one in 10 victims survive. Shadow Health Minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said: “According to the British Heart Foundation, the low cardiac arrest survival rate in Britain can be attributed to a lack of access to defibrillators.
“This technology must be accessible to work.”
AEDs, which can be used by untrained members of the public, restore heart rhythm with an electric shock.
The Government last week announced a £1million scheme to allow community organisations to bid for funding for an AED.
It will pay for 1,000 of the devices but MPs fear wealthier areas are more likely to bid successfully.
In response to the Mirror campaign, the Government has promised all secondary schools in England will get at least two defibrillators.
Health Minister Will Quince said: “Defibrillators provide vital treatment with the latest research showing that the use of these devices within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%. It is therefore crucial that we have enough defibrillators in public spaces.”
