- First of 20,000 defibrillators now being delivered to almost
18,000 state schools
- All state-funded schools in England currently without a
defibrillator to receive one by the end of the academic
year
- Education Secretary pays tribute to Mark King for his
campaigning
Deliveries of defibrillators begin today (Friday 20 January) to
all state-funded schools in England that don’t currently have a
life-saving device.
Last year, the government committed
to supplying state-funded schools across England with
defibrillators to make sure there is a device in every school.
It follows campaigning from the Oliver King Foundation and its
founder Mark King, who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness
of the need for defibrillators since he tragically lost his son
at the age of 12 to cardiac arrest while swimming at school.
The deliveries of the first defibrillators mark the start of a
roll out of over 20,000 defibrillators to almost 18,000
state-funded schools by the end of the academic year.
The government is also supporting schools in making
defibrillators available to the community, with external heated
defibrillator cabinets being provided to primary and special
schools in areas where provision is lower.
An internal cabinet is being provided to secondary schools that
are receiving two or more defibrillators, so one can be placed at
the school’s sports facility, where a cardiac arrest is more
likely to happen.
The Oliver King Foundation and other leading charities, including
the British Heart Foundation, Resuscitation Council UK and St
John Ambulance, have supported the creation of updated guidancewhich will
give schools the tools and knowledge they need to use their new
defibrillators.
Education Secretary said:
“Today we’re celebrating a huge milestone as we start deliveries
of defibrillators to schools, working towards every school having
one by the end of the academic year.
“None of this would have come about without the relentless and
brave campaigning of Mark King and the Oliver King Foundation,
and we are extremely grateful to him and other leading charities
for the ongoing support they will doubtless provide schools from
lesson plans to staff training.”
Founder of the Oliver King Foundation Mark King
said:
"This is a landmark moment and will be welcomed by pupils,
parents and teachers up and down the country.
“It is a proud day for us because we've campaigned for
schools to have access to defibrillators for over a decade. It is
a major victory for the Oliver King Foundation.
“Defibrillators save lives and I have no doubt that lives
will now be saved so that families do not have to suffer the
heartbreak of unnecessarily losing a child. This is for our
Ollie."
This is the largest defibrillator programme in England to date
and will ensure that pupils and staff have access to this
lifesaving first aid equipment.
The new guidance provides advice for schools on how to make their
defibrillator available to the community. The government is also
encouraging schools to sign up to The Circuit, the national
defibrillator network.
As part of the roll out awareness videos are being provided,
showing how simple defibrillators are to use, and schools are
being encouraged to share these videos in staff meetings and
assemblies.
This follows the announcement last month of a new £1 million fund to
increase the number of defibrillators in communities most in need
- providing an estimated 1,000 new defibrillators in community
spaces across England.
