HC Deb 12 July 2002 vol 388 cc1278-80W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that members of staff at sites where automated defibrillators have been installed have been appropriately trained in the use of such equipment. [68275]

Ms Blears

A defibrillator advisory committee (DAC) was established at the outset of the initiative to assist the government with the implementation of the defibrillator initiative. One of its tasks was to recommend criteria for the training competencies of those individuals who may be required to use an automated external defibrillator (AEDs) at sites identified. An initial four hour training programme was agreed that covered the training outcomes of basic life support (BLS) and the use of an AED. Trainees are not certified if they fail to achieve the crucial competencies. Refresher training occurs at six monthly intervals to ensure skill and knowledge retention. All trainees who pass the course are issued with a training record card that is certified by the trainer to show they have attended a training course in BLS and the use of an AED; this is updated following the successful completion of subsequent refresher training courses.

A formal procurement process to purchase training services was undertaken to meet the training requirements of the programme's national roll-out and to ensure the appropriate training of personnel at sites identified. Training contracts were awarded under the direction of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) and in conjunction with medical and educational advisors from the resuscitation council (UK) Training contracts for five National Health Service regions were awarded to ambulance service training departments, St. John Ambulance was awarded contracts for two regions, and the British Red Cross was awarded a contract for one region.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new automated defibrillators have been installed in public places since 1 May. [68276]

Ms Blears

Since 1 May 2002, fifty-five automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed across seventeen public sites in England. Since the launch of the first site in April 2000, 542 AEDs have been installed across eighty-two sites.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff at each of the sites where automated defibrillators have been placed have participated in training programmes in their use. [68274]

Ms Blears

[holding answer 10 July 2002]: By the end of June 2002, 2914 personnel across seventy-five sites identified for the Defibrillators in Public Places Initiative had received training in basic life support and the use of an automated external defibrillator. A breakdown of training activity at each site is illustrated below:

Site Number trained
1 MetroCentre 93
2 Leeds Station 40
3 Euston Station 30
4 Liverpool Street Station 30
5 Manchester Piccadilly Station 40
6 Birmingham New Street Station 30
7 Waterloo Station Waterloo International 51
8 Victoria Station 50
9 Heathrow Terminal 4 53
10 Earl's Court Station 19
11 Heathrow Terminal 2 45
12 Liverpool Airport 51
13 Heathrow Terminal 3 60
14 Newcastle Airport 144
15 Reading Station 40
Site Number trained
16 Coventry Station 7
17 York Station 25
18 London Bridge Station 31
19 Stansted Express 29
20 Sheffield Station 16
21 Exeter Airport 38
22 Exeter St David Station 12
23 Bristol Templemeads Station 19
24 Plymouth Station 20
25 Barnsley Interchange 18
26 Gatwick Airport 306
27 Continental Ferry Port—Portsmouth 34
28 Crewe Station 21
29 Preston Station 12
30 Stockport Station 15
31 Euro Tunnel, Folkestone 104
32 Sheffield Interchange 15
33 Peterborough Station 13
34 Victoria Coach Station 21
35 West Bromwich Bus Station 6
36 Paddington Station 19
37 Luton Airport Parkway Station 23
38 King's Cross Station 17
39 Newcastle Central Station 25
40 Manchester Coach Station 13
41 Charing Cross Station 14
42 Leeds Bradford Airport 60
43 Ipswich Station 10
44 Albert Dock Company 24
45 Blackfriars Station 10
46 East Midlands Airport 11
47 Bristol Airport 174
48 Doncaster Station 16
49 Norwich Station 7
50 Liverpool Lime Street 8
51 Luton Airport 41
52 Birmingham International Airport 144
53 Stansted Airport 171
54 Manchester Airport 148
55 Heathrow Ground ops & Fire Service 90
56 Heathrow Terminal 1 65
57 Southampton Airport 31
58 Norwich International Airport 52
59 Humberside Airport 19
60 Blackpool Airport 17
61 Sheffield City Airport 16
62 London City Airport 20
63 Teesside Airport 15
64 London Marylebone 12
65 Birmingham International Station 8
66 Birmingham Snow Hill Station 7
67 Bristol Parkway Station 10
68 Clapham Junction Station 16
69 Chelmsford Station 6
70 Digbeth Coach Station 8
71 Ilford Station 5
72 Romford Station 4
73 Hull Paragon Station 23
74 Wakefield West Gate Station 9
75 Carlisle Station 8