Resuscitation Council UK’s response on defibrillator stock delays:
Sue Hampshire, Director of Clinical and Service Development at RCUK said:
“RCUK is aware of a nationwide shortage of defibrillator stocks, including replacement pads and batteries. This is the result of delays in the supply chain. We appreciate this is concerning for guardians of defibrillators within their local communities or workplaces.
“We urge people to take note of the expiry date of the pads for every defibrillator they look after. There is still a possibility that your defibrillator could help save a life in an emergency, even if the pads have expired. The benefit of attempting defibrillation with out-of-date pads out-ways the risks of delayed defibrillation due to waiting for an alternative defibrillator from the ambulance service, therefore, we do not advocate automatically removing the defibrillator from public access on the day the pads become out of date”.
Ends
Background
- Registering your defibrillator on The Circuit - the national defibrillator network can help with this as you will be sent a reminder about the pads’ expiry date. Given the current challenges with supplies, it is advisable to contact the supplier approximately 20-24 weeks in advance of the expiry date for advice on the lead time for delivery of replacement pads.
- Contacting the supplier well in advance of the expiry date will reduce the risk of not having them in time.