Edinburgh schools: Most primaries still without life-saving defibrillators

Edinburgh council says all schools should have defibrillators by end of this term

Defibrillators were installed in all Edinburgh's high schools after a campaign by the Evening News and the family of Jamie Skinner, who died, aged 13, after suffering cardiac arrest on the pitch during his debut match for Tynecastle FC. Picture: Toby Williams.

Over 130 primary schools in Edinburgh and the Lothians do not have life-saving defibrillators, according to “deeply alarming” figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives.

Responses to Freedom of Information requests submitted by the party show that 75 Edinburgh primary schools and one special school in the Capital are without the heart-start devices, as are 59 primaries and three special schools in West Lothian.

Every primary, secondary and special school in Midlothian has an on-site defibrillator.  East Lothian Council said it did not record the information.

In 2013, Edinburgh schoolboy Jamie Skinner, 13, died after suffering cardiac arrest on the pitch during his debut match for Tynecastle FC. His death prompted a campaign by the Evening News and Jamie's family to increase the number of defibrillators available around the Lothians.

The city council spent £70,000 on installing the machines in all 23 high schools in the Capital, as well as 10 special schools and key office buildings. And in 2022, the council allocated £112,000 to ensure every schools in the city had a defibrillator.

Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs called on the Scottish Government to provide funding for councils to provide the devices as soon as possible.  The Conservatives' FoI requests to councils all over Scotland found that more than 1,000 schools across the country did not have defibrillators - four in 10 of the total.

But Mr Briggs said the UK Government had successfully rolled out over 20,000 defibrillators south of the border, ensuring every English school had one by the end of the last academic term.

He said: “The revelation that so many schools in Lothian are lacking life-saving defibrillators shows the contempt that SNP-Green ministers have for the youth in Scotland.  It is essential that the Scottish government pulls the finger out and addresses this.

"If it is a question of funding, it must stump up the cash immediately. We know that defibrillators greatly increase the chance of survival from cardiac arrest so the importance of these devices – especially close to school sport halls and playing fields – cannot be overemphasised."

Edinburgh education convener Joan Griffiths said: “All secondary schools have defibrillators installed with 14 primary and 10 special schools also having a device. We’re currently rolling out the installation of defibrillators in all schools and plan to have the remaining ones installed by the end of this term.” 

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “ All secondary schools are equipped with defibrillators along with 50 per cent of ASN (additional support needs) schools in West Lothian.”