Defibrillators
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) training and (b) support provided to volunteers who help maintain public use defibrillators.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
Charities which provide automated external defibrillators (AED) have clear guidance in place on the use and ongoing maintenance of the devices they provide.
The Circuit, the national defibrillator registry independently operated by the British Heart Foundation, notifies the guardian of the defibrillator when it has been used and action to replace the pads is required.
In addition, the Department for Education has published guidance on AEDs for schools, including on maintenance and registration with The Circuit. A copy of this guidance is attached.
NHS England provides training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of AEDs both in the community and in schools, under the Restart a Heart initiative. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation.
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