Hansard

The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-06362, in the name of Margaret Mitchell, on automatic external defibrillators in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament acknowledges the ongoing AEDs in Scotland campaign, which aims to have automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) placed in strategic locations, such as rural communities, where it is difficult for an ambulance to respond quickly, or areas where there is a high incidence of cardiac arrest and in public buildings such as cinemas and supermarkets; believes that sudden cardiac arrest is a treatable condition whereby the body “short circuits”, interrupting the heart’s regular rhythm and keeping it from pumping blood through the body; further believes that, for every minute that passes without defibrillation, the chances of survival decrease by 14% and that research shows that applying a controlled shock using an AED within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible chance of survival; understands that AEDs, which are of simple design and can therefore be used without specialist training, can help to stop the heart’s arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm, but that CPR should also be administered; believes that 12 young people die in the UK each week as a result of a sudden changes in cardiac rhythm, but that only 10% of UK schools currently have AEDs; further understands that North Lanarkshire Council has recently purchased 25 defibrillators, one for each of its secondary schools, but that in March 2013 Samantha Clinton from Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, started a petition as part of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) UK’s Big Shock Campaign to have a defibrillator placed in every school in the local authority area; notes that, in order to raise awareness, Samantha has designed colouring sheets for primary school children to take home to their parents with information about sudden cardiac arrest and a copy of the petition; is of the view that AEDs save lives and triple the chances of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, and notes calls for AEDs to be located in all schools across Scotland as well as in public places and remote locations.

17:04