The Department for Education announces a plan to allow schools to purchase defibrillators at a lower cost.
Sudden Cardiac Arrests can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of their age. A defibrillator can give a controlled electric shock to reverse the unstable heart rhythm in many cases. This can make the difference between life and death.
Schools Minister Lord Nash said:
There is nothing more important than keeping children safe at school. That is why this government is today publishing updated guidance to schools on managing children with medical conditions.
By securing defibrillators at a reduced price, schools will find it much easier to install these potentially life-saving devices. We hope schools right across the country will take advantage of this.
Although there is no formal data on the number of people under the age of 18 that die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the Department of Health estimates this to be around 88 children per year. However some sources put this number in the 200s. The stark difference is because this data is not accurately recorded. The bottom line is that children are dying when they might be saved if a defibrillator were nearby.