As schools and colleges across the South Central region prepare to close for the summer holidays, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is urging anyone responsible for a publicly accessible defibrillator to check that its availability is correctly recorded on The Circuit.
Changes to opening hours or site closures during the summer can affect whether a defibrillator is available when it is needed most. If these temporary changes are not recorded on The Circuit, 999 emergency call takers could direct members of the public to a defibrillator that cannot be accessed during a suspected cardiac arrest.
The Circuit is the national defibrillator network, linking registered public access defibrillators directly to NHS ambulance services. When someone calls 999 during a cardiac arrest, emergency call takers can identify and direct bystanders to the nearest available defibrillator, helping to give the patient the best possible chance of survival.
SCAS is asking schools, colleges and other education providers to take a few moments before the end of term to review their defibrillator information and update any temporary changes to access times.
Even if a defibrillator remains available throughout the holidays, guardians are encouraged to check that all the information held on The Circuit is accurate and up to date.
If you need help updating your registered defibrillator’s details on The Circuit, there is a short step-by-step video guide available to help.
If your organisation has a defibrillator that is not yet registered on The Circuit, registration takes around five minutes. Once registered, the defibrillator can appear on ambulance service systems in less than a minute, making it available to 999 call takers helping someone during a cardiac arrest.
By ensuring defibrillator information is accurate before the summer break, schools and colleges can help make sure these lifesaving devices remain available to anyone who may need them.
Useful links:
- Watch the guide to updating your defibrillator details: https://ow.ly/nSwM50Znebn
- Register a defibrillator with The Circuit: https://www.thecircuit.uk