All Scottish NHS Dental Practices To be Equipped With A Defibrillator
The Scottish government has announced plans to equip all NHS dental practices in the country with a defibrillator.
The new scheme, which will cost around £1 million, is designed to save lives in the event of a patient suffering a heart attack in the dental chair. In total, 970 defibrillators will be fitted across Scotland and they will be mapped to ensure that 999 call handlers can direct callers to the nearest defibrillator.
According to figures, more than 1,500 people died in Scotland after suffering a cardiac arrest in the community last year and the new programme will hopefully increase chances of survival. Defibrillators help to correct the heart rhythm following cardiac arrest and can make the difference between life and death.
Michael Matheson, Public Health Minister, said that “every second counts” when a person has a cardiac arrest and the new programme will ensure that there is better access to life-saving equipment. With almost 1,000 dental practices across Scotland, this is an ideal chance to install defibrillators in local communities. Mr Matheson believes the scheme offers scope to save thousands of lives over the coming years.
It is hoped that all practices will have a defibrillator by the end of August this year. Any practices, which already have the equipment in place, are set to receive compensation from the government.
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