A defibrillator must be available. We note that all sports centres in our region now have a defibrillator, but for instance at one sports complex, the furthest pitch is about half a mile from the clubhouse. Even the fittest runner will not be able to make the return journey in any reasonable time.
We advocate mandatory provision of defibrillators in all sports centres, and in as many community locations as possible (including businesses and anywhere with a high footfall), but also encourage sports teams to carry pitch/court-side defibrillators which will reduce the time-to-shock significantly. It is important however to not restrict community sporting activities by creating unnecessary paperwork and restrictions.
We commend the Government’s £1m defibrillator match funding scheme, however more can be done. Defibrillators could be made VAT exempt. Public buildings should be mandated to hold a working defibrillator. Companies who have a defibrillator should be mandated by law to allow them to be used near to their location in the event of an emergency. It is our experience that some companies have refused to allow a defibrillator to leave their building (even to the pavement outside), or only with a “trained first aider”, who would have to be found first.