Recurring concern

Unreliable availability and readiness of defibrillators for emergency response

First to latest report 30 Aug 2013 — 8 May 2026

Reports that mention this concern
21
Times this concern has been raised
22
Stated actions linked to this concern
15

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.

What is 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 and published responses 21 reports

See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response

  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

Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.

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Data last updated 7 September 2026