The Scottish Government has announced £2.5 million to improve cardiac arrest survival rates.

At least a thousand additional defibrillators and targeted support will be rolled out to improve cardiac arrest survival rates in communities with the poorest outcomes.

1,000 to 1,250 additional defibrillators will be purchased over three years.

Money will also be spent on new Cardiac Arrest Rescue (CARe) Zones to strengthen the community response to cardiac arrests, such as increased CPR training in schools. Areas with the greatest inequalities will be priorities.

Networks of first responders will be created that can respond to emergencies quickly in remote areas.

The GoodSAM app will be promoted. It alerts registered users to nearby cardiac arrests so they can provide first response.

First minister John Swinney said: "Surviving a cardiac arrest often depends on what happens in the minutes before an ambulance arrives. That is why we are investing £2.5 million to deliver more defibrillators into communities, strengthen local response networks and ensure more people have the skills and confidence to act.

"Survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have increased since 2015 thanks to the work of Save a Life partners in training more than one million people in CPR skills and improving defibrillation rates. We can and must, however, do more - and this investment will deliver targeted support in the areas that need it most.

"We will work towards ensuring there is a defibrillator within reach of every incident, using evidence to identify the best locations and modes of delivery. We are determined to build a Scotland where everyone, regardless of where they live, has the best possible chance of surviving a cardiac arrest and can live healthier, longer lives."