Member of Parliament for South Leicestershire, Alberto Costa MP, has welcomed the announcement that the Government is inviting community organisations to bid for funding for a defibrillator for their area.
The Department of Health and Social Care is inviting interested organisations to register expressions of interest for its £1 million Community Automated External Defibrillators (AED) Fund, aimed at increasing the number of AEDs in public places where they are most needed and help save lives.
As part of the grant award, applicants will be asked to demonstrate that defibrillators will be placed in areas where they are most needed, such as places with high footfall, vulnerable people, rural areas, or due to the nature of activity at the site.
Examples could include town halls, community centres, local shops, post offices and local parks, to ensure that defibrillators are evenly spread throughout communities and easily accessible if someone is experiencing an unexpected cardiac arrest.
Alberto said, “This is a fantastic initiative by the Government to create a larger network of life-saving community defibrillators across the country, and so I do hope that lots of organisations from across South Leicestershire and the wider county take advantage of this excellent opportunity. These wonderful devices are especially important in rural areas where local healthcare may not be as accessible, and so I very much look forward to seeing more life-saving defibrillators across the rural communities of South Leicestershire”.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, The Rt. Hon Steve Barclay MP, said, “We know, through inspiring stories of ordinary people, being kept alive thanks to the swift use of a defibrillator in public, that these extraordinary devices must be accessible to all. I urge any organisation that may benefit from a defibrillator – whether you’re a sports club, local theatre or community hall – to register your interest for this fund so that we can get more of this life-saving technology placed around England.”
Interested organisations can register their interest in receiving a community defibrillator here.
