MSP Dr. Sandesh Gulhane Resuscitates Man at Scottish Parliament

A Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) successfully revived an individual who had collapsed and ceased breathing at the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh. Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, who serves as the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, intervened to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to the man after he lost consciousness and had no detectable pulse during the previous week. Dr. Gulhane, also a practicing General Practitioner (GP), subsequently directed a group of first aid personnel who employed a defibrillator to restore the man’s vital signs. The MSP is married to television doctor Punam Krishan, who was recently eliminated from the program Strictly Come Dancing. The individual had been queuing to enter Holyrood when he collapsed close to the entrance. Dr. Gulhane recounted the events to BBC Radio Scotland’s Mornings programme, stating: “Unfortunately he didn’t have a pulse and stopped breathing so we had to resuscitate him. We went through two cycles and we shocked him twice. We were then able to bring back his pulse and get him breathing again which was fantastic news. I do hope that he is OK and he is on his road to recovery.” The Glasgow MSP, having previously served on a resuscitation team as a junior doctor, mentioned his prior experience with comparable incidents. He expressed: “My concern was for people on the team who hadn’t experienced a situation like that before. If they hadn’t seen somebody potentially die and then have this happening.” He further added: “So I am proud of how well they all worked together and how we came together despite it being a lot of people’s first time.” He also stated: “As a GP or a junior doctor, when these things happen, you have to continue your day, you can’t just stop. So I went back to the round table and got on with my day because it is important that you do move on from these situations.” Dr. Gulhane emphasized the critical importance of acquiring CPR skills and ensuring the accessibility of defibrillators in close proximity. He remarked: “There’s plenty of places where you can learn basic CPR and it’s free, like the British Heart Foundation or St John Ambulance. There’s no magic involved, it’s just a skill you can learn.” He continued: “But it’s also important to have a defibrillator because ultimately it was the defibrillator that saved this man’s life.” He advised anyone encountering a comparable scenario to remain composed and follow straightforward procedures to assist in resuscitating the individual. He stated: “If something happens, I’d encourage everyone to make sure it’s safe and start CPR, get someone to call an ambulance and get the defibrillator. It tells you what to do – the defibrillator will literally speak to you and tell you what to do.” He concluded: “And don’t be scared, the 999 operator will also talk you through it and help you.” A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service verified that they received a call to the Scottish Parliament and that a patient was transported to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The spokesperson further remarked: “If someone has had a cardiac arrest, early CPR and use of a defibrillator are essential to increasing the chances of survival.”