What is The Circuit?
The Circuit is the national defibrillator network – it is a database of all registered AEDs.
It is used by the NHS ambulance service to locate the nearest available defibrillator in an emergency. It enables them to quickly direct people to the nearest accessible defib, meaning that defibrillation can be started as soon as possible – every second counts!
Why should I register a defib on The Circuit?
If a defib isn’t connected to The Circuit, it can’t be found in an emergency – only defibs registered on The Circuit are visible to the emergency services.
It is therefore very important that all AEDs are registered – this will save lives!
All AEDs supplied by the SHC must to be registered on The Circuit – this is a condition of receiving an SHC grant.
What information will I need to register a defib on The Circuit?
When registering a defib you will need to nominate a guardian. This is the person who will be responsible for looking after the AED. They will receive regular reminders from The Circuit to ensure the defib is emergency ready – this provides the ambulance service with the confidence that the defib is ready to use, if needed.
To register, you will need the following information about your defib:
- Address, location and surroundings
- Brand, model and serial number
- Times and dates when it’s accessible (all SHC supplied defibs MUST be accessible 24/7)
- Pad expiry dates
- Confirmation it is displaying its ready signal
If your defib is located somewhere that doesn’t have a postal address (i.e. it’s in a phone box, or on a fence) the nearest location should be identified, and a location marker should be added using the ‘add map location’ option.
How do I register a defib on The Circuit?
Registering is quick and easy – and there is no cost.
If your AED has been supplied by the SHC we will pre-register the device for you on our organisation account. Once your AED is installed and is ready to use, you will need to complete the registration – we will provide you with info on how to do this.
For all other defibs:
You can register an AED via this link:
Once your defib is registered, it will be visible to the ambulance service almost immediately.
What is a Guardian?
When you register an AED with The Circuit you will need to nominate a ‘guardian’.
The guardian will be the main contact and the person who will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the defib.
The guardian has a very important job – making sure the defib stays ‘emergency ready’.
What are the responsibilities of the Guardian?
It is the guardian’s responsibility to keep the defib ‘emergency ready’.
The guardian should be someone who will:
- Have day-to-day access to the AED
- Be able to do the weekly checks
- Keep the defib available and ‘online’ on The Circuit by recording status checks responding to any issues reported by The Circuit
- Purchase new consumables as required
In order to receive The Circuits status check reminders and other essential communications the guardian will need to have access to the internet and have an email address.
What communications will the Guardian receive from The Circuit?
The Circuit will send the guardian emails for key aspects of looking after a defib – to make sure the defib stays ‘emergency ready’.
- It reminds you every three months to record a status check – so the ambulance service knows your defib is still emergency ready.
- It lets you know that your pad expiry date is approaching so you can order replacement pads.
- One of the most important emails is the deployment notification. This will be sent to you when the ambulance service has marked your defib as deployed on their despatch system. The Circuit detects this and triggers an email so you can check whether the defib was used at an incident. If it was then you can replace any items that have been used and reset its status to emergency ready on your Guardian account.
What happens if I receive a deployment email?
If you’ve received The Circuit deployment email this indicates that the ambulance service have marked your defib as deployed on their despatch system.
It is important that you check if the defib has been used or taken by the ambulance service.
On checking the defib you may find that the pads are still unused and possibly that the defib does not even appear to have been removed from the cabinet or its normal storage place. This indicates that it was not needed (it could be that an ambulance arrived at the emergency before a bystander could get to the defib).
Typically, if used, the AED will be taken away with the casualty by the ambulance service. It will be returned to you. We recommend that you write ownership details on the back of the defib in permanent marker so it can be returned easily.
Once the defib is confirmed to be in its normal location and is ready to be used again (i.e. any used consumables have been replaced) it’s very important that you log back into your Circuit Guardian account and set the status of the defib back to “Emergency Ready” so the ambulance service know that it can be deployed to another emergency situation.
How do I update the contact details of the Guardian?
You can update your details by logging into your account and clicking on the ‘edit profile’ option.
If you have an SHC defib – please contact us with any changes to your contact info so that we can update our records.
It is important that the guardian information is kept up to date
Can the guardianship of a defib be transferred?
Yes.
If you have an SHC defib – please contact us with the email address of the new guardian. We will update our account and prompt The Circuit to send an email to the new guardian, who can then change the guardian info..
For all other defibs – log into the account and select the ‘Ask for support’ option.
It is important that the guardian information is kept up to date
How can I check if a defib in my area is registered on The Circuit?
To see your nearest registered defibs, you can enter a location on The Circuits ‘Defib Finder’ website:
The ten closest defibs will be shown on a map. Then simply click on the defibrillator icons for further information, such as availability, access information and directions.
The website should be used to locate defibs – but is not intended for use in an emergency.
DO NOT USE THE DEFIB FINDER IN AN EMERGENCY – PLEASE CALL 999 IMMEDIATLEY
How can I contact The Circuit?
For further information or support from The Circuit please contact:
0300 330 5482
