Recurring concern

Unreliable availability and readiness of defibrillators for emergency response

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First reported 30 Aug 2013•Latest report 8 May 2026

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures of dedicated arrangements to provide, position, maintain, check, equip, access or promptly deploy defibrillators for emergency response, including absence at a required location, missing batteries or pads, delayed replacement, unreliable readiness status, and failures that prevent the device from being used when needed.

Not included

  • Excludes staff training or familiarisation deficiencies where the defibrillator was available and ready and the unsafe condition is solely operator competence; use the existing defibrillator-use training concern where applicable.
  • Excludes CPR, first-aid or broader resuscitation-performance failures not involving the availability, readiness or deployment of a defibrillator.
  • Excludes general clinical-equipment shortages or maintenance failures not specifically involving defibrillator readiness or emergency access.
  • Excludes downstream clinical treatment or emergency-service delays after a functioning defibrillator was available and appropriately deployed.
Reports
21

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
22

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2013–2026

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
15

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Care Quality Commission2
NHS England2
Ayuntamiento de La Oliva1
Bourne Leisure Limited1
Care UK1
Choice Support1
Cygnet Behavioural Health Limited1
Department for Transport1
Department of Health and Social Care1
Derwent Facilities Management Limited1
DW Fitness First1
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust1
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust1
First Aid Cover Ltd1
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. South Lincolnshire

    AI-generated summary

    Jessica Florence Ashton-Pyatt · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Jessica Florence Ashton-Pyatt became acutely unwell on 28 October 2012 and died after unsuccessful resuscitation following admission to hospital. Concerns included unco-ordinated care, initially absent consultant leadership, an uncharged defibrillator, and no defibrillation pads initially being available.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to maintain a ready-to-use defibrillator and defibrillation pads

    Wider context from the report

    “The response of the staff to Jessica's care on admission was unco-ordinated, with the immediate care being delivered by an SpR in anaesthetics and two EMAS paramedics. There was initially no consultant leadership of Jessica's care. The defibrillator in the resuscitation bay was not charged and no defibrillation pads were initially available. ”

    Source location

    Jessica Florence Ashton-Pyatt · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026