Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Official Report 875KB pdf

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Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-19268, in the name of Tom Arthur, on celebrating the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament congratulates the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership (LVDCP) on its ongoing efforts to install public access defibrillators (PAD) across Barrhead; understands that, after discovering that Barrhead had no PADs in August 2019, Barrhead Rotary Club spearheaded the community partnership and now, thanks to the partnerships forged with local businesses and East Renfrewshire Council, which has invested £25,000 in equipment, 23 devices have been put in place and are now available round the clock; notes that members of LVDCP also offer free Heart Start Defibrillator Awareness courses to anyone in the local area who wishes to learn how to perform CPR and operate a PAD device; recognises that this project feeds into wider local commitments to improve first-aid training, including the recent announcement that every school pupil is set to be taught CPR in the classroom through the British Heart Foundation’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign; believes that PADs, as well as first-aid and CPR training, are vital life-saving resources that should be universally accessible, and commends all those involved in promoting their importance in Barrhead and the surrounding area.

17:05  

I am very grateful that time has been made available to recognise and celebrate the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership. I thank members from across the chamber who have supported my motion.

The area that is known as the Levern Valley is located in the western part of East Renfrewshire and takes in the communities of Uplawmoor, Neilston and Barrhead, which is the largest town in my Renfrewshire South constituency.

The aim of the partnership is to bring together groups and organisations from across the community to install public access defibrillators—PADs—across the area. A defibrillator is, to give the British Heart Foundation’s definition, a

“device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. The high energy shock is called defibrillation, and it’s an essential part in trying to save the life of someone who’s in cardiac arrest.”

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency in which there is a sudden loss of blood flow due to the heart failing to pump effectively. It is not normally preceded by symptoms but, without immediate treatment, it will be fatal.

The Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership was established by Barrhead community stalwart Douglas Yates in 2018, and it received registered charity status in October of that year. Key partners to date include East Renfrewshire Council, Barrhead Housing Association, Auchenback Active, Barrhead rotary club and Field Electrical Services Ltd, from Neilston, which has generously installed the PADs.

So far, a total of 18 PADs have been installed in Barrhead, with the most recent being unveiled at Fereneze Golf Club, Shanks bowling club and St John’s church last month. Those latest installations expand the geographic spread of the PADs and follow on from the devices that were installed last year in a number of locations, including Barrhead community museum, Tesco Barrhead and Glen halls in Neilston.

Financial support for the partnership has come via a number of sources, including from East Renfrewshire Council as part of a wider £25,000 investment to install 23 PADs across the wider local authority area. Funds have also been received from the Scottish Government via the community choices fund, with £4,000 being allocated following support from Barrhead residents in March last year. Further fundraising, including community concerts and table-top sales, has been on-going. Opportunities are also available for organisations to adopt a PAD by paying £200 annually for maintenance costs.

The work of the partnership has demonstrated the vibrancy of community spirit in the area, and it is work that will save lives. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are and remain a killer. Each year in Scotland, roughly 3,000 people will have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in which resuscitation is attempted. Sadly, only 6 per cent will survive to hospital discharge. However, we know that, in cases of cardiac arrest in which a shockable rhythm is present, an automated external defibrillator of the kind that is being installed across the Levern Valley can have a positive impact on the chances of survival.

The devices are straightforward to use, require no previous training and can deliver a shock only to an individual who is experiencing cardiac arrest, which removes the possibility of accidental harm. Key to the success of the devices is their rapid use following the onset of cardiac arrest. For every passing minute without medical intervention, the chances of survival decrease, with there being a minimal likelihood of recovery after 10 minutes. That is why the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership in increasing access to, and the availability of, PADs is so important.

To maximise their benefit, it is vital that the location of PADs be clearly signposted. To that end, I welcome the partnership’s work to publicise the location of the devices.

Further, I welcome the launch by Anas Sarwar of a consultation on the mandatory registration of PADs. I look forward to studying the consultation results and any proposals that are brought forward. I am also keen to hear views on how the installation of PADs could be encouraged, through such avenues as procurement and planning.

It is also worth noting that the work of the partnership demonstrates the positive results that can be achieved with effective collaboration between community organisations, local authorities and national Government.

Through its effective engagement with key community stakeholders, the partnership has been able to deliver PADs in a way that is cost effective and that empowers the local community.

I would also like to recognise the work of others in Renfrewshire South, beyond the Levern Valley, in securing the installation of PADs. They include the Neilston and Uplawmoor first responders, Howwood community council, Renfrewshire Council and, of course, the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Before concluding, I will say a few words about Douglas Yates. I have known Douglas for over a decade. I doubt that there are many people in Barrhead who have not worked with him at some point.

Douglas has been involved in community activism in Barrhead for over 45 years. He has served as a chair of Barrhead community council, helped establish and chaired what was then Barrhead and district victim support, founded the East Renfrewshire University of the Third Age, served as a vice-chair of Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, chaired the Barrhead gala committee, and was a local councillor and deputy leader of East Renfrewshire Council. After a lifetime of service to Barrhead and the wider community, and in his 70s, he has been instrumental in setting up the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership.

I thank Douglas Yates and all who have supported the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership over the past two years. They represent the best of Barrhead, and their work will save lives. I look forward to the contributions from other members and the minister, and I ask that everyone here join me in celebrating the outstanding work of the partnership.

We turn to the open debate. Speeches should be four minutes, please.

17:11  

I thank Tom Arthur for the motion, congratulate him on securing this important debate and join him in celebrating Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership. I, too, congratulate Douglas Yates and all the partners involved, including the rotary club, local businesses and the local authority, in the fantastic achievement of raising £25,000 and installing 23 devices, which will literally save the lives of local people.

That project follows on from the successful British Heart Foundation aim of building a nation of lifesavers through its campaign to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation taught in schools across the country. I am pleased to be working with the British Heart Foundation on its next big national campaign, which is to ensure the mandatory registration of defibrillators across the country, so that we can save lives here and be an example to other parts of the United Kingdom and, indeed, the rest of the world.

The issue is so important because, every year in Scotland, there are approximately 9,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Of those, there are approximately 3,500 cases where resuscitation is attempted. Sadly, in only one in 12 of those cases will the person survive. The use of automated external defibrillators is a big part of improving those numbers. Tom Arthur rightly mentioned my intention to introduce a member’s bill on the mandatory registration of AEDs. I hope to launch a public consultation in due course and that the bill will receive support from members throughout the chamber—and, indeed, from communities throughout the country. I also hope to work alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service, the British Heart Foundation, MSPs and community groups throughout the country so that we can have mandatory registration of defibrillators and direct bystander support to help save lives across Scotland.

Failure to register an AED with the Scottish Ambulance Service can have devastating consequences. Community groups do the hard work and raise the money, and businesses make a commitment and install the AED, but the failure to register AEDs means that when an incident occurs, the Ambulance Service may fail to direct someone to a nearby AED that can be used before the ambulance arrives, which can lead to loss of life. Every second of every minute is crucial, because each minute of delay is found to reduce the probability of survival by 10 per cent.

We know that if we used defibrillators, we could increase the survival rate by as much as 70 per cent. That is why registration is so important. International evidence is clear that registered AEDs are 15 more times likely to be used than unregistered ones and that someone is 70 per cent more likely to survive if defibrillation is used. That is why it is important that we collect data, monitor the use of AEDs and share that information with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

I ask the minister what further steps the Government is taking to ensure that we have mandatory registration of AEDs and encourage more people to register them with the Scottish Ambulance Service, so that we can have that national database and use the fantastic dedication of community organisations and local businesses to help save lives across our country. What resources, if any, is the Government willing to put in to ensure that we have not just a public interest campaign to try to get more people who already have an AED to register it, but identify where the gaps are and encourage people to install AEDs in those places and make them available for public use?

If we have that campaign and the mandatory registration of AEDs, we can save hundreds of lives every year and thousands of lives over a number of years, and Scotland can be an example to the rest of the UK and the rest of the world.

Again, I thank Tom Arthur for bringing forward this very important debate.

17:16  

I echo colleagues’ comments on Tom Arthur securing this important members’ business debate and on the work of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership. I also put on record my congratulations and thanks to Douglas Yates, whom I have known for some years. I do not know him as well as Tom Arthur does, but I have had some dealings with him in the past. The work that Douglas Yates has undertaken on the defibrillator community partnership has been remarkable, and I congratulate him on it.

The partnership’s achievement in raising finance and awareness as well as in purchasing 23 devices in such a short space of time is incredible. Further, the heartstart training and the support of the British Heart Foundation and its nation of lifesavers campaign are pivotal in making people in our society feel safer about using a defibrillator. A challenge for many people is the fear of using a defib in case they cause harm. Breaking down that fear will help save lives, and training on using a defib is crucial not only to make communities feel safer but to actually make them safer.

Members will recall a members’ business debate that I held on 24 April 2018 on show some heart, the Jayden Orr campaign. I highlighted in that debate how the tragic passing of 10-year-old Jayden became the catalyst for the campaign. The Orr family have shown a strength and determination that will not exist in many people, and the respect and support that they have been shown by the Inverclyde community have been incredible. The campaign has been fully supported from the outset by the local newspaper—the Greenock Telegraph—and me.

The campaign has had a few twists and turns along the way, as every campaign does, but its results have been hugely positive. First, public awareness of the importance of defibs has increased hugely, with more and more people aware of the machines and how they can help. Secondly, local heartstart and BHF training sessions have seen an increase in uptake. I obtained my heartstart certificate in September 2018 and I encourage members across the chamber to sign up to training in their own areas. Thirdly, Kathleen Orr and her family have raised thousands of pounds, purchasing defibs with the money, many of which have been placed in local schools and other locations. As of last December, the number of defibs registered in Inverclyde has increased from three to 52. That huge increase is primarily a result of the fundraising to purchase more defibs and the awareness-raising campaign to get defibs registered.

The charity St Andrews First Aid was so moved by the Orr family and their actions after Jayden’s passing that it has become an integral partner in the campaign to ensure that Inverclyde will be the best-covered area in Scotland—and probably the UK—for defibs, as it is donating 30 defibs to my community. Stuart Callison and the team at St Andrews First Aid deserve huge credit for their support and I put on record my sincere thanks and that of everyone associated with the Jayden Orr campaign for their generous donation. The roll-out of those defibs in my community has already started, with the first being installed in November, in Larkfield in Greenock. Debbie Scobie was so moved by the campaign that she wanted to help, so she offered her house as the location of the first of the 30 defibs.

Yesterday, the Greenock Telegraph reported that Pat Dunn, who is an employee of local shipyard Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd, has offered to have a defib placed outside his house. Pat’s work colleagues helped to fundraise for the exterior box at his house, and in doing so the shipyard and its workforce showed their support for a community that has shown so much support for the yard.

I am immensely proud of my community and how it has continued to rally round the Jayden Orr campaign and the Orr family. Kathleen Orr won the prestigious Douglas Bremner special commendation award at the Scottish first aid awards ceremony on 15 November 2019. It was a privilege to be there to witness that. I am sure that the success of the campaign, which is making Inverclyde safer as a result, will be equally acknowledged by Kathleen and her family. Nothing will ever bring Jayden back, but placing defibs strategically across the community and helping to increase training are two ways to ensure that other families will not need to endure the loss of their child.

17:21  

I, too, congratulate my colleague Tom Arthur for bringing an important matter to the attention of Parliament. It is a great opportunity to celebrate and recognise wonderful work that is going on across Scotland.

According to the Scottish Ambulance Service, every year in Scotland more than 3,500 people are treated by defibs after having a cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, only about one in 12 of those individuals survives. However, prompt bystander CPR and early defibrillation can significantly increase the chances of survival. So, I was delighted to be asked just over a year ago, with my colleague Alan Brown MP, to open a life-saving public access defibrillator in the village of Lugton in my constituency. That installation was a marvellous response from Dunlop and Lugton community council to the sad death of one of its residents.

Using a defibrillator alongside CPR can greatly increase survival rates, but to be most effective a defibrillator should be used within the first three to five minutes after a person has collapsed. When someone has a cardiac arrest and both CPR and a defibrillator are used within three minutes, the chance of survival could be as high as 70 per cent, or even 80 per cent. That is why it was great to see that life-saving device being put in place so that it can be used be used 24/7, in such emergencies.

Using an old British Telecom phone box to house the defib was innovative and creative, and many local people and businesses were involved in its restoration and fitting out. In particular, my constituent Martha Brindley spent much of her time renovating the telephone kiosk by removing glass, stripping back old paint and repainting it bright red. Local businesses and residents were equally generous with their time, donations and handiwork. It was great to see a small community pulling together for the benefit of its residents, who might need the equipment to help to save a life.

As there are in Tom Arthur’s constituency, in my constituency there are other great examples that are worthy of mention. One of Kilmarnock’s popular pubs, the Brass and Granite, is on a mission to create a community of life-savers by placing a number of defibrillators around the town, as well as offering CPR training. So far, it has provided 14 automated external defibrillators in schools, community centres and housing estates. Its target is to provide about 20.

The pub’s owner, David Little, summed it up really well when he said that people should overcome their fear of hurting someone with a defibrillator. The pub’s internal training sessions are designed to overcome that and to build confidence among the community. The sessions have been a great success and have attracted younger people who want to find out more about the equipment and how to put it to good use in an emergency: you do not need to be an adult to save a life. Mr Little and his staff are to be congratulated for that amazing effort. Their quest goes on to identify more locations in the district where access to defibs could help to save more lives.

Not to be outdone, Stewarton has managed to get in on the act. St John Scotland and the local Boys Brigade have joined forces to raise funds through coffee and breakfast mornings. An AED is now proudly situated just outside John Knox parish church on Stewarton’s High Street, and is available 24/7, should it be needed.

There are many fine examples of such work going on across Scotland, and we are bound to hear about more of them this afternoon. I do not know whether Ayrshire is leading the way on the work, but it seems that a large number of defibrillators are in place across the county. One of the more recently installed defibrillators is in Prestwick, just outside the 65 club on Main Street. Although Prestwick is not in my constituency, I know it very well. Great credit goes to John and Tracy Wallace, who are local people, for being the driving force behind that particular defibrillator.

There is no doubt that defibrillators are saving lives throughout Scotland. There is growing interest from communities and businesses in taking the lead, which is very welcome for communities and people whose lives might yet be saved because of the generosity and determination of many people in their communities.

I again thank Tom Arthur for bringing this important business to the attention of Parliament.

17:26  

I apologise to the Presiding Officer and to Tom Arthur for missing the first couple of minutes of Tom Arthur’s speech. During decision time, I realised that I had left my notes in my office, and I sprinted—I stress that I sprinted—all the way to the third floor to get them, and sprinted back down again. As I approached the chamber and my vision blurred, I had never been so relieved to be involved in a debate and to recognise that there are more defibrillators in the vicinity now than there were when we previously debated the subject.

I add my thanks and congratulations to Tom Arthur for securing time in the chamber for the debate. We often say that members’ business debates give MSPs the opportunity to highlight some of the good things that are happening in our constituencies and around the country without the shackles of party politics. This is certainly one such opportunity.

I acknowledge that Stuart McMillan has been a big supporter of and campaigner for installation of defibrillators in public places, following the harrowing experiences of Jayden Orr’s family in his constituency, and that he has had strong support from across the chamber in his efforts on behalf of his constituents. I am happy to include myself in that support.

The motion, which is on the fantastic efforts of the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership, which is spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Barrhead, gives me the added opportunity to highlight the importance of the third sector in our communities. Members will know that I am a great advocate of increased support for the third sector. The work is a great example of how the third sector is able to take positive action, where it is needed, without the red tape of legislation and without politics. The partnership saw a community issue and just went about solving it by collaborating with local businesses and East Renfrewshire Council.

From having no public access defibrillators across Barrhead, the partnership has raised and invested £25,000, and has installed 23 devices, which are now available 24 hours a day. Moreover—and just as important—LVDCP is offering free “Heartstart” defibrillator awareness courses to any people in the local area who would like to learn CPR and how to operate PADs.

That relates to a petition that was recently lodged with the Public Petitions Committee calling for CPR to be taught in the classroom to all pupils. It is great news that that will become a reality, with the support of the British Heart Foundation Scotland’s “Nation of lifesavers” campaign. The confidence that being able to save a life will give school pupils cannot be overstated. That skill and the achievement of passing the course are valuable. Members have heard me say that there are skills that are learned outside the classroom that are invaluable in academic achievement: that is one such skill. To have that sense of achievement, and confidence in that achievement, can have a positive impact on a pupil’s outlook.

I am not saying that learning how to save a life through CPR or how to operate a PAD could help a person to pass their maths exam. Actually, that is exactly what I am saying, because overcoming fear and grasping the opportunity—a colleague mentioned fear earlier on—is a learned mindset that can be applied across life. We can and should encourage that. All that we have to do is offer such opportunities.

The work is a great example of a community coming together for the betterment of people in it, and the people involved should be very proud of what they have achieved so far. It also speaks to the desire to bring healthcare closer to communities and to the drive for more personal responsibility in community health. People did it without help from Parliament. Perhaps there is a lesson there for all of us.

Once again, I thank Tom Arthur for bringing the debate to the chamber and for giving us the opportunity to congratulate a community on stepping up and making the change.

17:30  

I am delighted to contribute and respond to this important debate on behalf of the Scottish Government. I thank Tom Arthur for lodging the motion and I thank members for their contributions and for supporting the motion so that it could be debated tonight.

I also take the opportunity to join Tom Arthur and others in thanking Douglas Yates and the Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership for its hard work to raise funds for PADs across Barrhead, and for arranging life-saving CPR and PAD training courses.

Stuart McMillan made an important point about the practical use of PADs and the fear of using them. That little bit of training that can be added can give people the confidence to use a piece of technology that is far safer than they imagine. That is part of what we need to do and why it is important to have debates such as this to make that point and to encourage people to take action that will save a life.

The Levern Valley partnership is going above and beyond to ensure that its community can identify the signs of a cardiac arrest and act appropriately. Thanks must also go to those who have donated to the cause and to everyone who has attended the training courses. Their hard work will save lives.

We know that prompt intervention by a bystander can increase the likelihood of survival after cardiac arrest by two or three times. Calling 999, starting CPR and using an available defibrillator in the minutes immediately following a cardiac arrest is where the greatest gains in survival are achieved.

In 2015, we launched the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy, with a commitment to improving survival and outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. That required improvements to all six elements in the chain of survival: readiness, early recognition and call for help, CPR, defibrillation and pre-hospital resuscitation, post-resuscitation care, and aftercare.

Members will recall that we had two debates on these issues last year. Stuart McMillan mentioned the debate on show some heart, the Jayden Orr campaign; he is a great advocate for that campaign in his local area. We also had a debate on Scotland, a nation of life-savers. Both debates highlighted the importance of defibrillators and CPR and those points remain valid today.

The out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy recognises the importance of defibrillators and aims to make the most effective use of those that are available, including funding the University of Edinburgh resuscitation research group to carry out modelling work to inform advice on where defibrillators are best located to save lives. I am grateful to all the communities, voluntary organisations, individuals and businesses across Scotland that have fundraised to purchase defibrillators, often making them publicly accessible.

Anas Sarwar asked about registration to support communities, voluntary organisations and businesses that wish to purchase defibrillators for their premises. In March 2018, we published our guide to public access defibrillators. It provides practical advice to those who are considering purchasing and installing a PAD, including how to register it.

It is great that the British Heart Foundation’s national defibrillator network database, the circuit, is now live in Scotland. The circuit integrates its own PAD register with the existing Scottish Ambulance Service defibrillator database and allows 999 call handlers to direct a bystander or emergency service to a nearby defibrillator during an emergency. BHF aims to increase the use of defibrillators by ensuring that emergency services can quickly locate their nearest PAD, even if it is out of their jurisdiction. I urge everyone who is responsible for a PAD and who has not registered it on the circuit to do so as soon as possible.

Tom Arthur, Stuart McMillan and others talked eloquently about why it is so important that we know where the defibs are, as that can really make a difference in saving a life. My thanks go to the British Heart Foundation for its exemplary work on the circuit project.

As, I think, everyone knows, Save A Life For Scotland is a partnership of public and third sector organisations, including the British Heart Foundation, St Andrew’s First Aid, the British Red Cross, the Royal Life Saving Society UK and Lucky2BHere. The partnership, which includes the Scottish Government, formed after the publication of our out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy in 2015 and works to improve cardiac arrest outcomes. It is a unique model, building on a strong foundation of existing work by services, communities and individuals across Scotland.

As Anas Sarwar mentioned, in October 2019, the partnership announced that it had met the strategy’s aim of equipping 500,000 people across Scotland with CPR skills, thereby increasing the number of bystanders able to step in during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergency. That is a fantastic achievement and highlights how we can all work together to improve a person’s chance of survival, and I congratulate all those who have worked incredibly hard to meet that aim.

Members are also, no doubt, aware that the strategy finishes in 2020. The Scottish Government is working with key stakeholders to look at what the next steps should be, and I would be happy to discuss with Anas Sarwar how some of his proposals might feed into that.

We recognise the importance of children and young people engaging positively with health and wellbeing issues at school. As Brian Whittle said, a young person being trained in CPR can help them to develop the skills that they may need in an emergency situation. He is also right to say that such training goes beyond gaining those skills and can help improve attainment more widely.

We welcome the British Heart Foundation’s nation of lifesavers campaign, which secured the commitment of all 32 local authorities to teach CPR in their secondary schools. We know that CPR awareness and skills development are already embedded in many primary and secondary schools

To assist education professionals, Save a Life for Scotland has worked with Education Scotland to develop resources for schools, which are available on Education Scotland’s glow website. That is delivering our aim of making learning about CPR easy, accessible and free.

Before I conclude, it is good to reflect that, when the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy was launched in 2015, about one in 20 people survived to leave hospital after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Since the introduction of the strategy, that has increased to one in 12, as Willie Coffey mentioned. That is a fantastic achievement. Clearly, we can go beyond that, which is what we all want, and making defibrillators more accessible across Scotland is a major part of achieving that.

I thank all the members in the chamber, especially those with a particular interest in this area, and everyone across Scotland for their hard work in improving the outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Meeting closed at 17:38.