SOUTH Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is joining calls to remind schools to update the details of their registered defibrillators on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network.
The Circuit is used by ambulance services to identify if a registered defibrillator is nearby and available when a 999 call is received reporting a patient in cardiac arrest.
Over 16,000 schools have already registered their defibrillator on The Circuit.
Some defibrillators are accessible 24/7, but some are only accessible during certain times and days of the week when the school is open.
In the South Central region, there are over 7,600 defibrillators registered on The Circuit. So far in 2025 alone, SCAS has deployed these lifesaving devices 279 times.
That’s 279 times where quick access to a defib could mean the difference between life and death for a patient in cardiac arrest.
David Hamer, operations manager at SCAS, said: “It’s absolutely vital that every defibrillator is registered on The Circuit.
“When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second counts and having accurate, up-to-date information allows emergency services to direct bystanders to the nearest available defib without delay.”
“We urge all schools and organisations to check their defib is registered, accessible and ready to use – especially ahead of the summer break if the school summer holidays will mean access to the defibrillator will change.”
If schools or organisations are not sure if their defibrillator is already registered, they can check online at defibfinder.uk
