Tobias Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, attended the British Healthcare Trades Association's (BHTA) parliamentary event on defibrillators and VAT to find out more about the Heart Restart Tax campaign. Mr Ellwood signed their letter urging the Prime Minister to remove VAT from defibrillators to allow for wider access and to save more lives.
Commenting Mr Ellwood said: "I was please to meet 19-year-old, Jack Hurley, who I was shocked to hear suffered a sudden cardiac arrest whilst playing football. Luckily, Jack's life was saved because there was a defibrillator within close proximity."
"The chances of surviving a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are only 8%, defibrillators increase this to 70%. If we can get VAT removed from this vital life-saving equipment then communities, businesses and sporting organisations will be able to afford more devices."
As it stands there are 48 publicly accessible defibrillators in Bournemouth East.