to: Dear. Freedom of Information Act 2000

Transcription

1 UNCLASSIFIED to: Resources Directorate Shokat Lal Assistant Director Human Resources & Workforce Services Resources Directorate Council House Earl Street Coventry CV1 5RR Direct tel no: Fax no.: Our reference: FOI/ Date: 28 th February Dear Freedom of Information Act 2000 Thank you for requesting information regarding Defibrillators/AED. Your request has been considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act). Request and Response: 1. Leisure Centres/Swimming pools with Defibrillators Please supply a list of Leisure Centres/Swimming Pools. If they have a defibrillator/aed its make, model and approximate age 2. Schools/Colleges with Defibrillators - Please supply a list of Schools/Colleges. If they have a defibrillator/aed its make, model and approximate age Response: In respect of Questions 1 and 2, Defibrillators held at Leisure Centres/Swimming Pools and Schools/Colleges are not supported and managed by the Council s Occupational Health Service. Therefore the Council are unable to provide any relevant information for Questions 1 and 2, and are informing you as required as per Section 1(1) (a) of the Act which states: Any person making a request for information to a public authority is entitled to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds information of the description specified in the request.

2 3. Council Premises with Defibrillators - Please supply a list of Council premises which either have a defibrillator/aed onsite or you believe would benefit from an AED/defibrillator, make and model of AED, approximate age of AED. Has it ever been used, was the patient outcome successful, has there been a cardiac arrest in the last five years that would have benefitted from an AED at this location Response: List of Council premises which have a defibrillator onsite: Registrars Office Broadgate House Council House CV One Allesley Park Memorial Park Cottage Farm Harry Caplan House Social Care Development Centre George Rowley House Coombe Country Park Central Library Jubilee Library Coventry Market The make and model of the defibrillators are Cardiac Science. The defibrillators were provided by the West Midlands Ambulance Service in November 2010 through the Alex Higgins Project. The Council s records indicate that none of the defibrillators in any of the above establishments have been used, therefore the questions regarding patient outcome are not applicable. 4. No question listed 5. Does the Council work with any charities/local organisations to place defibrillators/aeds in the schools, community, or council premises. Response: As above, the Council was provided with defibrillators by the West Midlands Ambulance Service. 6. Do you have a contract for the supply of defibrillators/aeds, who is it with and when does it expire? Response: As above, the Council was provided with defibrillators by the West Midlands Ambulance Service, and the Council purchase equipment through Coventry Community Responders. 2

3 7. Who is responsible for the defibrillator/aed and the training within your organisation? Response: The Occupational Health Service, Resources Directorate, is responsible for providing defibrillation training within Coventry City Council. 8. Is the Council looking to buy any defibrillators/aeds in the next two years? Response: Coventry City Council is not looking to buy any defibrillators in the next two years. 9. Do you have a defibrillator/aed policy? If so please provide a copy. Response: Please find attached a copy of our Defibrillator Guidelines. Please note, under the Re-Use of Public Sector Information 2005 Regulations you are free to use this information for your own use or for the purposes of news reporting. However, any other type of re-use under the Regulations, for example; publication of the information or circulation to the public, will require permission of the copyright owner and may be subject to terms and conditions. For documents where the copyright does not belong to Coventry City Council you will need to apply separately to the copyright holder. You have a right to make representations about the outcome or handling of your request in the first instance this must be made in writing within 40 working days of the date of this letter, to the Council's Information Governance Team at: Council House, Room 21a Lower Ground Floor Earl Street, Coventry. CV1 5RR infogov@coventry.gov.uk If you have done this and are still dissatisfied, the Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF Yours sincerely Shokat Lal Assistant Director Human Resources & Workforce Services 3

4 INTRODUCTION COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL Occupational Health and Counselling Service DEFIBRILATOR GUIDELINES These Guidelines are written under the over-arching First Aid at Work Code of Practice, which is issued in accordance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, Electrical defibrillation is a very effective therapy for cardiac arrest caused by certain heart arrhythmias and there is substantial scientific evidence to support early defibrillation. Defibrillation within three minutes lifts the chance of survival to 70 percent. The chances of successful defibrillation decline at a rate of 7-10% with each minute of delay. Defibrillation is not a requirement of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, However, the provision of 15 automated external defibrillators has been approved for public access use within Coventry City Council owned buildings. The rationale for Public access to defibrillation (PAD) was based on the concern that in many densely populated areas, traditional emergency service responders cannot respond in a sufficiently short time to perform resuscitation and maximise survival. It was determined that the training and equipping of non-traditional responders to use automated external defibrillator (AEDs) and provide resuscitation until arrival of traditional emergency services was a practical and appropriate solution to that problem. All employers have a duty to ensure that suitably qualified persons, appropriate equipment and facilities are provided for enabling first aid to be rendered to their employees, if they are injured or become ill at work. The provision of defibrillators pertains to the moral responsibility the employer has towards others affected by their undertaking, i.e. clients, residents and members of the public on the premises. Further advice and support on the AEDs, first aid at work or to interpret the First Aid at Work Code of Practice into the circumstances of a particular department or establishment, can be obtained through the Occupational Health Service. THE AED EQUIPMENT The AED is a computerised medical device that can check a person's heart rhythm. It can recognize a rhythm that requires a shock and it can advise the operator when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take. AEDs are very accurate and easy to use. Training is required, however, the

5 user has no input in the operation of the unit apart from attaching the pads and following the prompts. The units do not require any decision-making or interpretation of symptoms. In the designated areas, the AEDs will be kept in a place which is easily accessible and this will be clearly sign posted. The Occupational Health Service will carry out an annual inspection of AED devices, arrange maintenance as required and keep a record of this. LOCATION OF AED DEVICES The following buildings have currently been selected because they have a large number of staff and/or a high public footfall and/or a vulnerable population. Other factors taken into consideration include 'Ambulance Attendance' data including ambulance response times to localities and levels of social deprivation within area. There are a further six sites to be identified. Area locations will be monitored and reviewed by the Occupational Health Service on an ongoing basis. Council House Civic Centre One Broadgate House Registrar's Office Harry Caplan House (Housing with Care) Cottage Farm Lodge (Housing with Care) Allesley Hall Park/Golf Course War Memorial Park Social Care Development Centre, Lamb Street TRAINING Basic life support is essential to the success of defibrillation. Designated employees will be trained to use the AED. These will be mainly employees who have already trained in first aid at work. Training will consist of four hours of face to face theory and practice. It is aimed to train six staff members at each location. First aiders should be available to administer first aid without delay, when needed. The Occupational Health Service will co-ordinate training and maintain a register of employees trained in the operation of the AED. The First Aid at Work Code of Practice provides the standards required for

6 employees being selected for first aid training. The standards should also be applied to AED training. INSURANCE COVER FOR FIRST AIDERS The City Council will accept responsibility for the actions of those employees elected to administer first aid in their place of work, including the use of the AED, whether to colleagues, service users, or members of the public, provided they act within the limits of the training undertaken; In order to provide this indemnity under the terms of the Council s liability insurance, it must be ensured that any first aid training provided is of a sufficiently high standard. To ensure this requirement is met, all training in AED/ First Aid at Work should be provided through the Council s Occupational Health Service. ALL ENQUIRIES RELATING TO THESE GUIDANCE NOTES SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH UNIT: TEL G:\Occupati\WPFCT\MANAGER\Defib