Julia Lopez MP is encouraging local community groups and organisations to apply for a new £1 million fund to give the public faster access to life-saving defibrillators. The Department for Health & Social Care aims to increase the number of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in community spaces across England in order to save lives in urgent situations.
As part of the grant application, applicants will be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed, such as places with high footfall, in rural areas, or due to the nature of activity at the site. Examples of suitable places include town halls, community centres, local shops, post offices and local parks, to ensure that defibrillators are evenly spread throughout communities and easily accessible.
The department estimates 1,000 new defibrillators will be provided by the fund, with the potential for this to double as successful applicants will be asked to match the funding they receive fully or partially.
Organisations who submit an expression of interest will be notified once grant applications open to the AED fund. The form to register your interest in the Fund can be found here.
The Department for Health and Social Care will announce an independent partner in the new year who will manage the Fund, as well as consider grant applications from bidding groups and work with the DHSC to ensure that newly provided defibrillators are accessible on a 24/7 basis across communities in England.
This fund to provide defibrillators in public spaces builds upon the Government’s pledge earlier this year to ensure every state-funded school has access to this form of life saving first-aid equipment by the end of 2023. With cardiac arrest occurring at unexpected times, and having heard from constituents who have lost loved ones to sudden cardiac related illnesses, Julia hopes that ready access to this equipment could help to save the lives of those who need it at short notice and in a public space.
This collective funding, both for defibrillators in public spaces and state schools, is part of the government’s commitment to support the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and improving access to emergency treatment across England.
