Defibrillator updates urged before summer holidays

An ambulance service is urging anyone responsible for a publicly accessible defibrillator to check its availability is correctly recorded as schools and colleges prepare to close for summer.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which serves Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire, said changes to opening hours or site closures during holidays can affect whether one of the life-saving devices is available when needed most.

Failure to record changes on The Circuit national network could result in 999 call takers directing people to an inaccessible one during a suspected cardiac arrest, it said.

A defibrillator works by giving a high energy electric shot to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat.

The Circuit links registered public access defibrillators directly to NHS ambulance services.

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.

It take about five minutes to register one on the network, the ambulance service said.

Even if a defibrillator remains available throughout the holidays, the ambulance service is encouraging guardians of the devices to check that all information held on The Circuit is current and accurate.

"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," it said.

Links to guides on updating and registering details on The Circuit can be found on the SCAS website.