Hansard

I am very grateful that time has been made available to recognise and celebrate the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership. I thank members from across the chamber who have supported my motion.

The area that is known as the Levern Valley is located in the western part of East Renfrewshire and takes in the communities of Uplawmoor, Neilston and Barrhead, which is the largest town in my Renfrewshire South constituency.

The aim of the partnership is to bring together groups and organisations from across the community to install public access defibrillators—PADs—across the area. A defibrillator is, to give the British Heart Foundation’s definition, a

“device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. The high energy shock is called defibrillation, and it’s an essential part in trying to save the life of someone who’s in cardiac arrest.”

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency in which there is a sudden loss of blood flow due to the heart failing to pump effectively. It is not normally preceded by symptoms but, without immediate treatment, it will be fatal.

The Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership was established by Barrhead community stalwart Douglas Yates in 2018, and it received registered charity status in October of that year. Key partners to date include East Renfrewshire Council, Barrhead Housing Association, Auchenback Active, Barrhead rotary club and Field Electrical Services Ltd, from Neilston, which has generously installed the PADs.

So far, a total of 18 PADs have been installed in Barrhead, with the most recent being unveiled at Fereneze Golf Club, Shanks bowling club and St John’s church last month. Those latest installations expand the geographic spread of the PADs and follow on from the devices that were installed last year in a number of locations, including Barrhead community museum, Tesco Barrhead and Glen halls in Neilston.

Financial support for the partnership has come via a number of sources, including from East Renfrewshire Council as part of a wider £25,000 investment to install 23 PADs across the wider local authority area. Funds have also been received from the Scottish Government via the community choices fund, with £4,000 being allocated following support from Barrhead residents in March last year. Further fundraising, including community concerts and table-top sales, has been on-going. Opportunities are also available for organisations to adopt a PAD by paying £200 annually for maintenance costs.

The work of the partnership has demonstrated the vibrancy of community spirit in the area, and it is work that will save lives. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are and remain a killer. Each year in Scotland, roughly 3,000 people will have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in which resuscitation is attempted. Sadly, only 6 per cent will survive to hospital discharge. However, we know that, in cases of cardiac arrest in which a shockable rhythm is present, an automated external defibrillator of the kind that is being installed across the Levern Valley can have a positive impact on the chances of survival.

The devices are straightforward to use, require no previous training and can deliver a shock only to an individual who is experiencing cardiac arrest, which removes the possibility of accidental harm. Key to the success of the devices is their rapid use following the onset of cardiac arrest. For every passing minute without medical intervention, the chances of survival decrease, with there being a minimal likelihood of recovery after 10 minutes. That is why the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership in increasing access to, and the availability of, PADs is so important.

To maximise their benefit, it is vital that the location of PADs be clearly signposted. To that end, I welcome the partnership’s work to publicise the location of the devices.

Further, I welcome the launch by Anas Sarwar of a consultation on the mandatory registration of PADs. I look forward to studying the consultation results and any proposals that are brought forward. I am also keen to hear views on how the installation of PADs could be encouraged, through such avenues as procurement and planning.

It is also worth noting that the work of the partnership demonstrates the positive results that can be achieved with effective collaboration between community organisations, local authorities and national Government.

Through its effective engagement with key community stakeholders, the partnership has been able to deliver PADs in a way that is cost effective and that empowers the local community.

I would also like to recognise the work of others in Renfrewshire South, beyond the Levern Valley, in securing the installation of PADs. They include the Neilston and Uplawmoor first responders, Howwood community council, Renfrewshire Council and, of course, the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Before concluding, I will say a few words about Douglas Yates. I have known Douglas for over a decade. I doubt that there are many people in Barrhead who have not worked with him at some point.

Douglas has been involved in community activism in Barrhead for over 45 years. He has served as a chair of Barrhead community council, helped establish and chaired what was then Barrhead and district victim support, founded the East Renfrewshire University of the Third Age, served as a vice-chair of Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, chaired the Barrhead gala committee, and was a local councillor and deputy leader of East Renfrewshire Council. After a lifetime of service to Barrhead and the wider community, and in his 70s, he has been instrumental in setting up the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership.

I thank Douglas Yates and all who have supported the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership over the past two years. They represent the best of Barrhead, and their work will save lives. I look forward to the contributions from other members and the minister, and I ask that everyone here join me in celebrating the outstanding work of the partnership.