Nationwide Building Society has announced plans to install life-saving equipment at all its branches across the UK, including in Birmingham. The mutual aims to provide 24/7 access to external defibrillators and bleed control kits, housed in secure external cabinets.
In planning submissions, Nationwide stated: 'Nationwide Building Society are committed to supporting the communities they serve, with branches located at the centre of high streets across the UK. As part of this commitment to community wellbeing, they aim to ensure people have rapid, 24/7 access to vital emergency equipment whenever it is needed.'
The cabinets will be fixed to external walls in prominent, easily reachable locations. Nationwide noted that while they aim to minimise visual impact, the potential life-saving benefits outweigh any harm to conservation areas.
Renfrewshire Council approved the scheme, stating: 'The potential benefits offered by the proposed apparatus are noted to be a very obvious material consideration in this case and it is agreed that the potential life-saving benefits of the equipment are an overriding factor. To this end, the proposals are warmly welcomed.'
The British Red Cross highlights that quick use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) can lead to survival rates of 50% to 70%, and every minute without defibrillation reduces survival chances by up to 10%.
