Lord Toby Harris calls on Boots the Chemist to provide defibrillators in their branches

Lord Toby Harris has today called on Boots the Chemist to ensure that their branches have installed defibrillators with staff trained to use them. In a letter to Boots' Vice-President, Andrew Thompson, he said:

"32% of people survive a cardiac arrest, but where there is a defibrillator installed and people trained to use it the chance of survival rises to 80%. Boots the Chemist have an important and respected place on our high streets and their branches are seen as places where the public can receive health advice and support, as well as traditional pharmacy services. I do hope that Boots will now build on this reputation and ensure that life-saving defibrillators are provided in their network. A number of major retailers, including as I understand it Sainsbury's and John Lewis, have already agreed to do this."