Policies & Procedures

This document is not a CPR or AED Training Manual more information on the use of AEDS and CPR can be found on the Parish website

Issued July 2022

2022
Contents

1.   Introduction

This document provides details of the Normanton-on-Cliffe and Carlton Scroop Parish Council (hereafter referred to as The Parish Council) Automated External Defibrillators (AED) installation and arrangements for its ongoing maintenance.

This document acts as an AED reference for occasions when village support personnel change – for example when Parish Councillors retire at the end of their periods of office, or different volunteers become involved in providing AED support. 

There are two AED’s installed in the Parish;

Normanton-on-Cliffe;
 in a disused BT telephone kiosk located on Main Street, Normanton-on-Cliffe, NG32 3BH

Carlton Scroop;
on the wall of the golf course building located on Charity Street, Carlton Scroop, NG32 3AT

The defibrillator is registered with the British Heart Foundation Circuit and as such East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS). EMAS can access, via the Circuit, the security cabinet digital lock release code. On receipt of an appropriate ‘999’ call they will release the code to the requester.

The AED is  publicised in the village using the Parish Council website alongside some first aid training video’s .  

The AED’s employed are a LIFEPACK CR PLUS manufactured by PHYSIO Control (now owned by Stryker) and supplied by aadefib.com.

2. Purpose of an AED

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition that occurs when the electrical impulses of the human heart malfunction, causing a disturbance in the heart’s electrical rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). This is an erratic and ineffective electrical heart rhythm which causes complete cessation of the heart’s normal function of pumping blood, and if untreated will result in sudden death.

The most effective treatment for this condition is the administration of an electrical current to the heart by a defibrillator, delivered within a short space of time of the onset of VF. 

If a shockable rhythm is detected, the AED will charge to the appropriate energy level and advise the operator when to deliver a shock. When the AED is connected to a patient, the device automatically acquires and analyses the electrocardiogram (ECG) of the patient for the presence of Ventricular Fibrillation or Ventricular Tachycardia (also known as shockable rhythms). If a shockable rhythm is detected, the device automatically charges itself. Defibrillating shock is delivered when the SHOCK button is pressed.

3. The AED Installation

During 2015 the Parish Council   agreed to assume responsibility for the AED’s by undertaking to provide funding for its maintenance, and when required, its eventual replacement. The AED’s have a warranty of 8 years (March 2023) appendix E. The asset is included on the Parish Register for insurance purposes.

Day to day support for the maintenance of the AED is provided by a group of village volunteers who form a Village Defib Group. Member details are provided in Appendix B.

The AED’s are housed within a temperature controlled secure cabinet. Access to the cabinet is via a touch pad digital lock. (Appendix D) When the AED is required in emergencies the lock access code is provided by making a ‘999’ telephone call to Emergency Services.

The lock code is also held by Village Defib Group, and the Parish Clerk. The code should not be put in the public domain.

The AED installation comprises the following components:

Normanton-on-Cliffe;

•   LIFEPACK CR PLUS  Automated External Defibrillator. The operators manual can be found in Appendix C.
•   Secure Cabinet, known as an Outdoor Defibrillator Store fitted with a touch pad digital lock. (Appendix D)
•   Telephone kiosk, which was purchased from BT complete with roof light and 240v mains supply for the AED cabinet. The cabinet contains a low power heater to ensure the AED temperature is maintained.
•   Various accessories, such as replacement electrode pads. Appendix G provides further details.

Carlton Scroop;

•   LIFEPACK CR PLUS  Automated External Defibrillator. The operators manual can be found in Appendix C.
•   Secure Cabinet, known as an Outdoor Defibrillator Store fitted with a touch pad digital lock (appendix D). 
•   Various accessories, such as replacement electrode pads. Appendix G provides further details.

4. Procedures

The Parish Council overseas the Village Defib Group who undertake a number of support tasks on a voluntary basis as detailed below:

(a)   Record Keeping

Records will be kept of:

•   Monthly maintenance checks – to be kept for 24 months
•   Emergency defibrillator deployments for audit and evaluation purposes
•   Details of any untoward incidents or concerns that may affect the overall integrity of the system.

At minimum a summary of the above should be provided annually to the Parish Clerk. The report should be made available for the Annual Village Meeting which is normally held during May.

(b) AED Maintenance

The AED ‘s perform a test  on a weekly basis and each time its turned on. In addition it performs a more extensive monthly check to ensure its ready for use. However, it is vital that the AED, cabinet and AED accessories are checked on a monthly basis by a member of the Village Defib Group in accordance with the AED manufacturer’s instructions.

Records of these checks are kept on a form as shown in Appendices F and G.

Each monthly check ensures at minimum that:

AED Cabinet

•   The opening of the secure cabinet using both the code and the emergency key functions
•   The AED cabinet light is on (this ensures the AED heater is available)
•   The AED cabinet is clean
•   The AED cabinet alarm is working

The AED

•   The AED is functioning and has no warnings on show
•   The AED is clean and undamaged
•   The AED has:
-   One set of in date  defibrillation electrodes connected to the device
-   One spare set of in date Electrodes
-   One Resuscitation kit containing two pairs of gloves and one razor
-   One pair of trauma shears
-   One Towel/Sponge
-   5 In date Skin Wipes 
-   One Facemask

Following each check the individual should update the British Heart Foundation Circuit.

If the AED shows a fault or there is a cabinet mains supply failure it must be reported to the Parish Clerk immediately.

Purchasing consumables, such as electrodes and batteries, can be obtained by contacting the supplier aadefib via the Parish Clerk. Consumables should be ordered 3-6 months in advance to allow time for delivery and ensure maximum availability of the defibrillators.

(c) Reinstating the AED after deployment

When the AED is deployed in an emergency situation it may be used by any member of the public or the Ambulance Service. They may therefore not be village residents in attendance during an emergency. The AED may also be used outside the village.

Whenever a ‘999’ call for the release of the AED is made EMAS access the Circuit  and provide the requester with the security cabinet digital lock release code. The Circuit has a real-time computer database for tracking AEDs and their current states – ‘Available’ or ‘Unavailable’.  When an AED is deployed it is immediately recorded as ‘Unavailable’.  This will automatically trigger an email alert to the relevant AED Guardian (Appendix B). This should be notified to the Parish Clerk and the Parish website updated indicating the defibrillator is ‘Unavailable’.

EMAS will normally be in attendance following a ‘999’ cardiac arrest call. They will take control of the AED and normally transfer the individual to an EMAS defibrillator. However, sometimes EMAS will take the defibrillator with them. There is a sticker on each defibrillator stating the contact details where this defibrillator needs to be returned to. EMAS will contact this individual to arrange return.

When the defibrillator is returned it must be made ready for use again. Therefore before the AED is reinstated, it must be cleaned, tested, and all consumables used must be replaced. The AED contains an SD memory card. This is not used.

Once all the checks are completed satisfactorily the member of the Village Defib Group undertaking this must;

•   Update the Circuit that it is back at its normal location and ‘Available’ for deployment;
•   Inform the Parish Clerk with a summary of the actions taken and the requirement to order any further consumables;
•   Inform villagers via the Parish Council website 

The Guardian, in conjunction with the Village Defib Group, will use best endeavours to ensure maximum AED availability.

(d) Management of AED Faults

The appliance has a number of self-testing routines for determining the operational status of the defibrillator. If such tests continually fail and the AED is in a permanent alarm state then the following actions must be undertaken by the relevant member of the Village Defib Group:

•   Follow the instructions in the operating manual (Appendix C) and if this fails contact aadefib via the Parish Clerk to arrange a repair;
•   Update the Circuit to advise them that the AED is not in working order and/or been returned to the manufacturer and is ‘Unavailable’;
•   Inform the Parish Clerk;
•   Alert villagers to the issue using Parish Council website.

When the AED is back in operational use:

•   Update the Circuit that it is back at its normal location and ‘Available’ for deployment;
•   Inform the Parish Clerk with a summary of the actions taken and the likely cost, if known;
•   Inform villagers via the Parish Council website.

(e) Telephone Kiosk Maintenance

Undertake checks on the integrity of the telephone kiosk, its cleaning, and mains supply.

This should be undertaken on a monthly basis and forms part of the monthly checks in appendix G.

(f) AED User Training

The use of the AED does not require formal training however, information on CPR and the AED use are available on the Parish Council website. This website provides details of CPR training using a website link to the St Johns Ambulance Service videos.

5. Legal Issues

This guidance is provided primarily for members of the Parish Council. Information is based on material published by the Resuscitation Council UK in April 2018 (Appendix A).

For the management of people suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SCA):

CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) can significantly increase survival chances in these circumstances if performed promptly. AEDs are often provided in public places and can be safely used by untrained members of the public while waiting for an ambulance.

The likelihood of causing harm by performing CPR or using an AED is very small indeed. Nevertheless, there has been some concern that should an attempt to resuscitate someone having a suspected SCA result in harm, a legal claim could be brought against the rescuer. To date, there has been no reported successful claim to this effect.

The Resuscitation Council (UK) states that to minimise liability risks we should follow good practice.

From a Parish Council perspective the following are of particular relevance:

•   Keep training and associated support material up to date;
•   Keep equipment well maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations;
•   Ensure TPC public liability insurance covers the use of an AED for resuscitation.

6. Appendix A: References

1.The Circuit - Individual Village defib members have their own logins. Jo Worrell is the current guardian. (N0cCsLifepak!)

2. Supplier – aadefib contact details aadefib.com, Andrew Deptford, The Barns, Swaton, Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 0JP. Tel: 01529 421111 Email: andrew@aadefib.com

3. East Midlands Ambulance Service Contact: Conor McCelland County Co-ordinator and Training Officer Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. Tel: 07817 454417 Email: conor.mccelland@emas.nhs.uk or conor.mccelland@nhs.net

4. Newark Community First Aid Tel: 07973 904808 Email: newarkcommunityfirstaiders@hotmail.com Website: www.newarkcommunityfirstaid.co.uk

5. Normanton- on- Cliffe Defibrillator

6. Carlton Scroop Defibrillator

7. AED Guide -pub’ by ResuscitationCouncil (UK)AED_Guide_01-08-17.pdf

8. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation,automated defibrillators and the law – pub by Resuscitation Council UK (2018) CPR_AEDS_and_the_law.pdf

7. Appendix B: Village Defib Group members

Members Email address

Link to the AED Operational Manual

9. Appendix D: AED Cabinet Information

Link to the AED Installation Instructions

10.Appendix E: AED Warranty Information

Link to the AED Warranty

11. Appendix F: AED Maintenance Checklist – Monthly

Comments/Corrective actions