Which city in the UK is the ‘safest’ to suffer a cardiac arrest?

Cardiac Arrest is one of the most serious medical emergencies someone can suffer, and is invariably fatal without prompt treatment. Less than 1 in 10 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) are survived currently, but CPR and an AED shock greatly increases these figures.

The most important factor around the use of an AED is the time from collapse to shock, if shocked within 3-5 minutes of collapse, survival rates can be as high as 74%. This requires a nearby AED, so where would the ‘safest’ place to suffer a cardiac arrest be in the UK?

A 2023 study from the European Society of Cardiology found that, on average, the nearest defibrillator is a 19-minute round walk from any given postcode in the UK. This is far longer than the ideal response time for the best chance at survival, but some areas have a much higher number of defibrillators per population.

Most AEDs per 10,000 people

Each year, defibshop creates a Cardiac Coverage report, analysing AED coverage across the UK including which areas are most protected by defibrillators.

The area in the UK with the highest number of AEDs per 10,000 people is by far the City of London with 159.49 defibrillators per 10,000 people. This area is among the most affluent in the country, with the Bank of England and the Stock Exchange located in the City.

The national average stands around 13.71 defibrillators per 10,000 people

Fewest AEDs per 10,000 people

The area with the fewest defibrillators per 10,000 people is also in London. The borough of Newham has 2.79 devices per 10,000 people. Despite also being in London, Newham is among the most deprived areas in the capital which is reflected in the poor defibrillator figures.

Labour MP Maria Eagle previously described public access to a defibrillator as a “postcode lottery” in which life-saving treatment may not be readily available depending on the area you live.

Scrapping VAT on defibrillators

A big step towards making AEDs more affordable for communities and individuals would be to remove VAT on the devices. VAT or Value Added Tax is typically added onto ‘luxury items’, which a defibrillator certainly is not.

Removing VAT on defibrillators would typically reduce the cost of a unit by between £200 and £500. Over 100 MPs wrote to the then-Prime Minister and Chancellor in November 2023, urging the government to remove VAT on defibrillators, bringing them in line with most other medical equipment, which is also VAT exempt.

Imperative Training and defibshop’s Mission

Since 2003, we have been committed to making the UK a more heart-safe country by teaching life saving skills including CPR and use of an AED, as well as supplying communities and businesses with vital defibrillators.
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