MEP calls for a new European approach to defibrillators, modelled on Leitrim project

Nina Carberry, MEP for the Midlands, North-West, has called on the European Commission to develop an EU-wide approach to cataloguing defibrillators with the Leitrim Defibrillator project as a model.

The project, developed by the local Volunteering Information Service, Leitrim PPN and Leitrim Development Company, compiles the location of all defibrillators in the county online so that their location can be found more easily in emergencies.

There are around 60 defibrillators in Leitrim, the vast majority of which are situated in south Leitrim.

Accessible records of where defibrillators are is an issue nationally, with only half of Ireland’s defibrillators currently listed on public databases, according to the MEP.

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Carberrys proposal would be an EU-led approach to defibrillator registration and data-sharing as part of the EU cardiovascular health strategy.

“Too many defibrillators are effectively hidden in plain sight. Of the more than 9,000 devices across the country, nearly half are not registered,” Said Carberry at the Parliament in Brussels this week.

“In an emergency, this lack of visibility can cost time that is critical for survival. Around 90% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are fatal without quick intervention. If a defibrillator cannot be found quickly and easily, the chances of saving a life drop dramatically.

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“And this is not just a problem in Ireland. A recent study found that only 8 of 19 European countries surveyed had a nationwide defibrillator mapping system in place. That also means if you’re on holiday anywhere in Europe and someone needs CPR, it can be difficult to quickly locate the nearest defibrillator.

“The starting point must be a full, accurate EU-wide database ... We already have EU legislation to enable health data-sharing across borders. We should show the same ambition when it comes to defibrillators,” she concluded.