Last Updated on 18/10/2023 by Samantha Lewis
Yesterday, 17 October 2023, BHTA held a parliamentary event in Portcullis House, London, to call on the UK government to scrap the tax levied on defibrillators in order to widen community access to these lifesaving medical devices.
The event was hosted by Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lifesaving device that can provide an electric shock to restart the heart of someone suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest. Survival rates are vastly increased to as high as 70% if a defibrillator is used within the first three to five minutes – but drop by 10% for every minute of delay after this time.
Public access defibrillator use is reported as used in less than 1 in 10 instances. There are not enough defibrillators available.
Defibrillators are expensive – costing between £800-£2,500 per unit, alongside upkeep and maintenance.
Removing VAT from the sale of AEDs would make them significantly more affordable and bring costs down by up to £500. If AEDs are more affordable, small businesses and community groups will be more likely to be able to purchase them, increasing access and saving lives.
The London event saw BHTA members urging MPs and Peers to join the campaign to scrap the tax.
“It has been my pleasure to lend my support to such an important campaign, and it is encouraging to see so many of my colleagues from across the political divide provide a unified voice on this matter. In light of such poor survival rates in this country, it is clear that the Government must act for more defibrillators to be accessible in key locations.”
Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport.
The Scrap the Heart Restart Tax campaign, a British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) initiative, emphasises that defibrillators are invaluable lifesaving medical devices and reducing financial barriers would encourage a broader availability within communities. The event offered a platform for open discussions, data sharing, and an exchange of ideas on how the government and the healthcare industry can collaborate to make defibrillators more affordable and accessible.
The event was also attended by 19-year-old Jack Hurley, who shared his experience of cardiac arrest whilst playing football, and how a defibrillator was instrumental in saving his life. Jack and his family are joining the BHTA in calling on the government to act now to protect communities.
“Without quick thinking from those around me and the crucial presence of a defibrillator within easy reach when I collapsed, I would likely not be here today. I was shocked to find out that the vast majority do not survive cardiac arrests happening outside of hospital. The football club’s decision to install a defibrillator in their grounds saved my life, and it seems only logical to me that more clubs and organisations should be given as much incentive as possible to make the same investment.”
Jack Hurley, coaching student and cardiac arrest survivor
The Irish government recently axed the tax in Ireland, and BHTA is calling on the UK government to do the same.
The event was attended by members of Parliament who showed strong support for the cause, including MPs Caroline Dinenage, Jack Brereton, Sir George Howarth, Priti Patel, Rachael Maskell, Derek Thomas, Anna Firth, Tobias Ellwood and many more.
“Through the Heart Restart Tax campaign, we are showing the Government a simple action to act on our shockingly poor survival rates from cardiac arrests occurring outside of hospitals in this country. Our members specialised in defibrillator manufacturing have been key to improving the availability of these lifesaving devices across the country, yet more needs to be done to make these expensive pieces of kit accessible to the small businesses and organisations that cannot afford them”.
David Stockdale, CEO of the British Healthcare Trades Association
The BHTA’s campaign to eliminate VAT on defibrillators represents a significant step forward in addressing a critical public health issue. The association is optimistic that the government will consider their request, creating a safer community for all.