Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron is encouraging people and organisations hosting defibrillators in their communities to ensure they are registered with a new a UK-wide national defibrillator network.
The Circuit integrates with ambulance dispatch centres to direct bystanders to the nearest defibrillator in case of a cardiac arrest, reducing the time it takes those needing defibrillation to start receiving treatment. The campaign to register defibrillators is being supported by the British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Mr Cameron said: “This is an important initiative which could improve survival rate for cardiac arrests which currently stands at just 1 in 10 for people who have an out-of-hospital arrest in the UK. By registering defibrillators with The Circuit we can help the ambulance service to direct people to their nearest defibrillator more quickly in the event of an emergency, which could make all the difference."
“Given the distances involved this could be particularly significant for people in the Highlands and Islands.”