The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has identified 10 locations across the UK in urgent need of more lifesaving defibrillators, including the Lanarkshire towns of Airdrie, Hamilton and Motherwell. These areas have a retrieval time to the nearest defibrillator of 6.50 minutes.
In Scotland, around 3,800 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur each year, but only one in 10 people survive. For every minute without defibrillation and CPR, survival chances decrease by up to 10%.
Impact of early defibrillation
Installing a defibrillator in these areas can help lead to better outcomes, as early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chance of survival.
David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “When someone has a cardiac arrest, every second counts, and quick access to a defibrillator gives someone the best possible chance of survival before emergency help arrives.” He added: “We’ve made great progress in placing more defibrillators in areas that need them, but there’s still so many communities, including some of the most deprived parts of Scotland, which are still too far away from the nearest lifesaving device that can have devastating consequences.”
Funding programme relaunch
The charity is urgently encouraging eligible communities to apply to their 2026 scheme. Successful applicants will receive a defibrillator and cabinet, and installation costs will be covered where required. Future replacement parts will be free of charge when they expire or are used in an emergency for up to 10 years.
Communities can check eligibility and apply for a BHF-funded defibrillator before February 2027 at bhf.org.uk/fundeddefib.
