Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance she provides on the frequency of checks to ensure that publicly accessible automated external defibrillators remain operational.

The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about maintaining automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Where an AED is registered on The Circuit, a nominated AED guardian is responsible for conducting checks when required. The registered guardian receives an automatic notification if the defibrillator has potentially been used, prompting them to conduct a check.