Sudden Cardiac Death: Screening for Young People

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts

Monday 5th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I have some experience in the rollout of defibrillators, which is delegated to local areas, and well-meaning groups fundraise and want them in a particular place. Managing and maintaining them properly is paramount, as is training people in how to use them. Understanding them and going through general training, which I think most local authority members have done, is critical. We have so many examples where immediate intervention saves lives. It is a big programme with a huge number of defibrillators—over 110,000 as we speak—but it is life-saving, so it needs to be taken seriously.

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, as we are talking about the death of young people, I am sure my noble friend the Minister would like to take this opportunity for the House to express our thoughts and prayers for the families, friends and loved ones of those people who died in that appalling accident recently in Switzerland.

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I think everyone in this House will support my noble friend’s comments on that appalling tragedy. We are just at the beginning of understanding what happened, but our hearts go out to all the families and friends of the young people who died. Words cannot express just how tragic this event has been.