Welsh Conservatives are celebrating after their motion calling on the Welsh Government to provide community halls, sports grounds and shops with funding to buy defibrillators was passed in the Senedd today.
Plaid Cymru and Labour members backed the motion, which was the first to be debated in the chamber this term.
The Welsh Conservative motion called for the Senedd to:
- Notes that only 1-in-10 people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest
- Further notes that for every minute a patient doesn’t have access to a defibrillator or CPR their chance of survival drops by 10%
- Recognises that a network of defibrillators will save lives
- Calls on the Welsh Government to provide grant funding or loans to enable community halls, sports grounds and independent shops to buy and install a defibrillator.
Welsh Conservative MS Samuel Kurtz, who closed the debate, said:
“I am pleased that members of all colours across the Senedd left party politics at the door and threw their support behind this motion on the extremely important topic of defibrillators.
“Defibrillators are lifesaving pieces of equipment, and they come with a rather hefty price tag, so it is only right that the Welsh Government subsidises some of the cost or provide loans so that businesses, community groups and sports clubs can purchase them.
“Wales has the lowest rate of survival from cardiac arrest out of the UK nations, so having quick access to defibrillators where the people of Wales go is absolutely vital if we are to slash the number of deaths.
“This motion will go some way in helping Wales become a safer place, and I am glad it received the cross-party support it deserves.”
