Thinking about getting a defibrillator?

• Is there somewhere that is clearly visible and easily recognisable?
• Is there enough light so that people can see the cabinet and lock mechanism?
• Is there an accessible power supply?
• Is there any CCTV nearby?
• Are there any other cPADs already in the area?

Any cabinet that stores a defibrillator on the outside of the building will need an electricity supply to power a heater, which ensures that the defibrillator is kept above 5^oc, so that it remains operational. Cabinets should be vandal proof and weather proof.

To make your defibrillator available to the public, we need you to register it with us via the national defibrillator network, The Circuit. You will need to create an account, and register all the details of your location and defibrillator on there. This will then provide that information straight into our emergency dispatch system.

This means that emergency services are aware of their locations and they can direct a caller to their nearest defib should one be required. 

• To register you will need to create an account on The Circuit - the national defibrillator network
• If your defib is only available when your business is open due to it being inside or behind locked gates, you must enter your opening times within the ‘accessible time section’
• Once registered you will receive email notifications for when your defib has been accepted on an emergency, advising you to check your defib as your defib will be automatically stood down from service.
• Once checked, if it is ok you need to log into your account and update the status
• If you are not always available to check you can add a supporting guardian
• You will receive email reminders when the pads are due to expire
• You will receive regular email reminders if you have not checked and updated the status 

The Circuit - the national defibrillator network

Further instructions are available here.

The cPAD would belong to the organisation or community and it would be their responsibility to ensure that it is checked regularly, to establish that it is in good working order and that the defibrillator pads are in date.

cPAD sites should have at least one guardian but preferably two, who are responsible for checking the site, and logging their checks on The Circuit.

You should also make provision for the on-going costs over the life of the defibrillator:

• New pads when they go out of date or if they are used
• New battery
• The cost of electric for the cabinet, estimated at approximately £30 maximum per year  

If your community or organisation is thinking of installing a cPAD then do not forget to insure your new equipment. Prior to purchasing your defibrillator and cabinet you should contact your insurer to confirm the Public Liability section will provide cover. You should consider insurance for the defibrillator and cabinet against theft or accidental damage cover.

The machine will be covered by a warranty of between five to eight years, depending on the model, although some manufacturers offer extension up to ten years. The pads usually have a shelf life of between two years and five years, and the batteries of between four and seven years.

For cPAD sites, we offer an initial awareness session, so that everyone feels more confident and comfortable in recognising cardiac arrest, providing CPR and using a defibrillator. The session covers making the 999 call, the information required, deciding whether someone is conscious or not, whether they are breathing normally or not, the recovery position, basic life support and the use of the defibrillator. It takes around two hours, is free and can be delivered to both adults and children.

Whilst the Resuscitation Council (UK) take the view that the use of one should not be restricted to trained personnel, it also states that it is "highly desirable that those who may be called upon to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) should be trained in their use, and keep their skills up to date".

Evidence shows that the time to the first shock being delivered, a crucial factor in survival, is much shorter where there are people who are familiar with and able to use the AED. The awareness sessions we offer should give people the knowledge to identify someone in cardiac arrest, and the confidence to start CPR and use the AED.

By having two guardians who will check the defibrillator and cabinet on a weekly basis, it helps to ensure that if there are any issues, you are aware of them quickly, and can ensure that the cPAD is temporarily deactivated on The Circuit if needs be.

• Exterior of the cabinet
  • Is it damaged or is it not securely fixed to the structure?
  • Check the key pad and opening handle, if stiff lubricate with WD40 or similar (do this at least once a month in any case)
• Interior of the cabinet
  • Is the internal light working?
  • If cold, does the heater appear to be working?
  • Are there any signs of excess internal moisture or water ingress?
• Defibrillator
  • Are all the indicators showing normal?
  • Are there two hygiene/rescue packs and two sets of pads?
  • Are the pads in date?
  • Is the battery charged?

Is there any funding available?

We have identified areas in higher need for a cPAD across the North East, based on the number of cardiac arrests and the population demographics.

The NEAS Trust Fund is offering £500 towards the cost of one of our cPAD packages for communities in these areas.

To be eligible, the cPAD MUST be in one of the postcode areas listed below. The details of the towns are for guidance.

Northumberland

NE24 1 – Blyth

NE24 5 – Blyth

NE63 9 - North Seaton, Ashington, Woodhorn, Hirst

Newcastle & Gateshead

NE9 7 – Low Fell, Springwell

NE15 6 – Benwell

NE4 7 – Elswick/Scotswood

NE5 4 - Westerhope, Etal Lane, Whorlton Grange

NE6 2 – Walker, Byker

NE6 3 – Walker 

NE8 1 - Bensham

NE8 2 - Teams, Gateshead

NE8 3 - Mount Pleasant, Felling Shore

NE10 9 – Felling, Leam Lane, Pelaw

NE10 0 - Pelaw, Heworth, Felling Shore

NE17 7 – Chopwell

North Tyneside

NE28 0 – Battle Hill, Willington, Wallsend

NE29 6 – North Shields

South Tyneside

NE31 2 – Hebburn

NE32 3 – Jarrow, Fellgate

NE34 8 – Horsley Hill, Marsden, Simonside

NE34 9 – Horsley Hill, Marsden, Simonside

NE37 2 – Usworth, Sulgrave, Albany

Sunderland

DH5 0 – Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole

DH5 9 – Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole

SR2 8 – Ryhope, Grangetown, Hendon, Thornhill

SR3 4 – Doxford Park, Farringdon, Springwell, Thorney Close

SR4 0 – Ayres Quay, Barnes, Chester Road, Grindon, Pallion

SR4 6 - Pallion

SR4 8 - Hylton Lane

SR4 9 - Pennywell, Grindon

SR5 2 - Southwick

SR5 3 - Town End Farm, Downhill

SR5 4 – Castletown, Fulwell, Monkwearmouth, Southwick, Sunderland

SR5 5 - Hylton Red House, Witherwack

SR7 8 - Cold Hesledon

Durham, Darlington, Easington, Sedgefield 

DH6 2 - Haswell Plough, Shotton Colliery

DH6 3 - Thornley, Wheatley Hill

SR8 3 – Easington

DL4 1 – Shildon area

DL4 2 – Shildon

DL14 8 - Coundon Grange/Eldon

DL14 9 - St Helen Auckland, Evenwood

DL17 0 - Chilton

DL17 9 - Mainsforth, Cornforth, West Cornforth

SR7 8 – Cold Hesledon, Dalton-le-Dale, Murton, Seaham

SR8 4 - Horden

SR8 5 - South Peterlee, Shotton

TS27 4 – Blackhall Rocks, Blackhall Colliery, Castle Eden, Hesleden

North Durham

DH9 7 – Dipton, Stanley

DH9 6 – The Middles, Fernwood

DH9 7 - Dipton, Stanley, Quaking Houses

Darlington

DL1 1 – Darlington East  

Hartlepool & Stockton

TS17 9 - Thornaby

TS18 2 – Stockton, Grangefield, Portrack

South Tees                                    

TS3 7 – Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough

TS3 8 – Cargo Fleet/Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough

TS10 1 – Redcar  

TS10 4 - Newcomen

TS10 5 - Dormanstown, Kirkleatham                     

TS6 8 – Eston, Grangetown, Normanby

TS6 9 – Eston, Grangetown, Normanby

TS10 4 – Redcar

If you are looking to place a cPAD in one of these locations, you can apply to NEAS Charitable Funds for some funding by filling out the application form here or by downloading a printable version here.

This funding is on a first come, first served basis, and is only available for potential sites in the locations as stated above. 

You may already have a defibrillator installed but have you registered it with NEAS? In doing so it will mean it can be made available to the community.

If you know of a community that might benefit from a community public access defibrillator, please find below a letter you can print and share.

Community letter.

When you see a community defibrillator (also known as a cPAD), it usually belongs to the organisation or community and it would be their responsibility to ensure that it is checked regularly, to establish that it is in good working order and that the defibrillator pads are in date.

cPAD sites should have at least one guardian but preferably two, who are responsible for checking the site, and logging their checks on The Circuit.

If regular checks aren't logged, or a cPAD isn't marked as ready after it has been deployed, we need to take it off our system and it will not come up as a resource if a defib is needed for a patient.

Once this happens, we place a 'not in use' sticker on the device in order to inform its Guardian and community members that it is no longer deployable. 

Why has a 'not in use' poster been placed on the defib cabinet?

The defib has not been active in a long period of time so will not profile in a medical emergency.

Are you the Guardian and have an account on The Circuit?

If you are the Guardian for this defib, log in to your Circuit account and update your defib status to put the defib back to emergency ready.

Already the Guardian but no Circuit account?

Please create an account on The Circuit and register your defib.

What is the Circuit?

The Circuit is a national database to register your defibrillator and manage it from your account. If a defib is registered and is emergency ready, and there is a medical emergency within 500m of it, our health advisors can send someone to collect it.

The defib has no Guardian 

If a defib no longer has a guardian but you or the community would like to take over ownership and look after it, you will need to register the defib on The Circuit.  

If you require further information on how to look after the defib (replacing pads/batteries, etc) or further information in general you can email Community.Defibrillators@neas.nhs.uk