Scottish Government approves £2.5m boost for community defibrillators

The Scottish Government will invest £2.5 million to add at least 1,000 defibrillators and support the GoodSAM responder app and CPR training over a three-year period.

The Scottish Government has announced a £2.5 million investment to expand community capacity to respond to cardiac arrests. First Minister John Swinney said the funding will deliver 1,000 to 1,250 extra defibrillators over three years and will support wider CPR training. The package will also promote the GoodSAM app, which alerts registered volunteers to nearby cardiac arrests, and include plans for new Cardiac Arrest Rescue (CARe) Zones. Officials said areas with greater health inequalities will be prioritised and the University of Edinburgh will work with partners to guide deployment. Key details: - £2.5 million announced to expand community response to cardiac arrest. - Funding intended to deliver 1,000–1,250 additional defibrillators over three years. - Support for promotion and increased uptake of the GoodSAM responder app. - Plans to establish Cardiac Arrest Rescue (CARe) Zones and increase CPR training, including in schools. - University of Edinburgh will work with the Scottish Ambulance Service, councils, emergency services, schools and third-sector organisations on deployment. - First Minister John Swinney met Scottish Ambulance Service staff and a cardiac arrest survivor who received CPR from a GoodSAM responder. Summary: The investment is intended to increase access to defibrillators and strengthen bystander response through app promotion and targeted community zones. Delivery is scheduled across a three-year period, with the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Ambulance Service among the partners coordinating deployment and training.