Your Guide To Defibrillators In Care Homes

An automated external defibrillator (AED), commonly called a defibrillator, is a portable device used to provide an electric shock to someone whose heart has stopped beating following a cardiac arrest. 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator for health and social care in England, does not specifically require care homes to have AEDs onsite. However, the CQC does require care homes to be able to handle medical emergencies – so while you’re not required by law to have a defibrillator, having one at your facility could quite literally be life-saving – and will provide peace of mind to staff, your residents and their families.

The defibrillators we supply are all priced between £1,000 and £1,560 (including VAT) – and they are all either fully or semi-automatic and easy to operate.  

We also offer a range of related resuscitation equipment, including a secure storage cabinet for your defibrillator, replacement electrode pads and battery packs, and more – all competitively priced and with speedy delivery. And if you’d like a demo of any of our products before you buy, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

View all defibrillators and resuscitation equipment

• Faster response times: With cardiac arrest, time is of the essence – there’s not a moment to lose. So with a defibrillator onsite, care staff can initiate defibrillation more quickly compared to waiting for emergency services to arrive
• Improved survival rates: When CPR and defibrillation are performed following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the patient’s chances of survival go up by more than double – one study has even shown quick CPR and defibrillation boosts survival rates by 57%. So having an AED readily available in your care facility will allow for faster defibrillation when needed
• Benefit to high-risk groups: Elderly residents in care homes are at higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest, making AED availability more impactful in these settings

• Staff training: You don’t necessarily need specialist training in order to use a defibrillator, but it can be helpful to ensure you and your teams feel confident using an AED. Of course, you need to be properly trained to perform CPR, so ensure the relevant first aid training is kept up to date to stay compliant with regulations
• Accessible placement: Your defibrillator should be stored in a location that’s as accessible as possible, and all staff should know where it is, so it can be retrieved quickly in the event of an emergency
• AED maintenance: Regular checks and maintenance of AEDs are necessary to ensure they function properly when needed
• Integration with emergency response: AEDs should be registered with local ambulance services to be part of the overall emergency response system – read more on how to register your defibrillator in the next section…

The Circuit is a national network of defibrillators used by all 14 ambulance services across the country, and both individuals and organisations can register AEDs on the network. 

Registering your defibrillator with The Circuit will give you additional peace of mind – your local ambulance service will know exactly where your defibrillator is, helping ensure speedy responses. The Circuit also sends reminders to those responsible for each defibrillator, reminding them to do regular checks to make sure the device is always ready for use.

Having an AED onsite at your care facility could make the difference between life and death, as research shows that swift CPR and defibrillation can boost survival chances after a cardiac event by more than double. Defibrillators are certainly an investment, but the benefits to your residents and indeed the surrounding community are significant. View our range of defibrillators and resus equipment, and if you have any questions or need any assistance, feel free to contact us.