Schools can now buy defibrillators at a reduced price after ministers struck a deal with suppliers.
Initially, 500 of the machines are to be made available, with the Department for Education (DfE) intending to order more depending on demand from schools.
According to the British Heart Foundation, around 500 young people die a year with no apparent cause of death but with heart conditions often to blame. The Department of Health estimates that 88 children a year die of sudden cardiac arrest.
The machines require no training to be used and the DfE has also published a guide for schools advising on the purchase, installation and maintenance of the machines.
For details, email medicaldevices@supplychain.nhs.uk or telephone 0113 385 4858. For the DfE guide, visit http://bit.ly/15KYf11