In July 2022, the government announced that every state-funded schools across England will receive defibrillators to make sure there is a device in every school.
Following a meeting with the Oliver King Foundation last year, the government committed to look at how to achieve a defibrillator on every school site. The foundation was founded by Mark King, who lost his son Oliver at the age of 12 to cardiac arrest, and is supported by ex-footballer Jamie Carragher.
Every school will have at least one on-site defibrillator
Education Secretary James Cleverly stated that access to funding ‘must not stand in the way of every school having on-site access to a life-saving defibrillator,’ as the evidence ‘clearly shows’ that defibrillators ‘drastically increase the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest.’
Soon, a survey will go out to all state-funded schools to finalise the number of devices that will need to be procured. The government has stated that every school will have at least one on-site defibrillator, or more for schools with larger sites.
The latest research shows that accessing defibrillators within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest increases the chance of survival by over 40%.
In 2014, the government announced a deal to allow schools to buy defibrillator machines at a reduced price. They also released guidance for schools, encouraging them to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) on their premises. The guidance read:
‘In view of the vital role that AEDs can play in saving the lives of pupils, staff and other users of school premises, the Department for Education is encouraging all schools to consider purchasing these devices as part of their first-aid equipment.’
‘The government has finally listened’
Jamie Carragher, supporter of the Oliver King Foundation, said: ‘This is fantastic news and is testament to the relentless and unwavering campaigning of Mark and Joanne King who’ve fought so hard for this moment.’
Mark King thanked the MPs and ministers who have supported their campaign.
He said: ‘It’s been 11 years since we tragically lost our Ollie to a sudden cardiac arrest while he was taking part in a school swimming lesson. If there had been a defibrillator on site, our son would still be alive today.
‘Since 2012 we’ve fought with tenacity to make defibrillators mandatory in all schools. I’m therefore delighted that, after our decade-long fight, the Government has finally listened and schools will now be equipped with them. It will mean families up and down the country won’t ever have to go through the pain that we did when we lost our Ollie,’ he continued.