Registering a Defibrillator
Defibrillation, combined with effective CPR is the only form of treatment for cardiac arrest casualties. Providing treatment within 3-5 minutes of collapse increases the survival chance from 6% to 74%.
Many defibrillators are not known to the ambulance services. The Circuit has been developed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and is a National Defibrillator database that ambulance services are connected to. By registering your defibrillator this provides Ambulance Control Centres across the UK with your device's location which can then be provided to 999 callers when reporting a cardiac arrest emergency.
At the time of the call, Control Centre Staff ensure Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) has commenced and will advise the defibrillator's location. This helps to ensure rescues are in line with the Chain of Survival, ensuring chest compressions are delivered whilst a defibrillator is located.
What Do I Need to Register my Defibrillator?
To successfully register your defibrillator, you will need to provide your local ambulance service with:
- Organisation Name
- Address
- Contact Name
- Contact Number and email
- Location of the defibrillator and door code (if locked)
- Make, model and serial number of the defibrillator
- Any restricted hours (you can still register even if your unit is only available on certain days/hours)
In the event of an emergency, only the device's location is provided. No information regarding the ownership of the defibrillator is shared.
Where do I Register my Defibrillator?
Please register your defibrillator on The Circuit. This is a national network that is connected to ambulance services across the UK.
Ambulance Service Details
East Midlands Ambulance Service
www.emas.nhs.uk
community.responder@emas.nhs.uk
North East Ambulance Service
www.neambulance.nhs.uk
0191 430 2000
South Central Ambulance Service
www.southcentralambulanceservice.nhs.uk
defib@scas.nhs.uk
Welsh Ambulance Service
www.ambulance.wales.nhs.uk
01745 532900
East of England Ambulance Service
www.eastamb.nhs.uk
defibs@eastamb.nhs.uk
North West Ambulance Service
www.cardiacsmart.nwas.nhs.uk
0345 112 0999
South East Ambulance Service
www.secamb.nhs.uk
pad@secamb.nhs.uk
West Midlands Ambulance Service
www.wmas.nhs.uk
01384 215555
London Ambulance Service
www.londonambulance.nhs.uk
defib@lond-amb.nhs.uk
Scottish Ambulance Service
www.scottishambulance.com
0131 314 0000
South Western Ambulance Service
www.swast.nhs.uk
defibrillators@swast.nhs.uk
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
www.communityresponders.yas.nhs.uk
0845 124 1241
If you require further information on registering your defibrillator get in touch with our friendly & knowledgable team by calling 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Us form. You can also consult our helpful FAQs below.
Do you have to register a defibrillator?
Yes. Defibrillators must be registered via The Circuit, the UK’s national network for locating defibrillators. Registering your defibrillator helps the emergency services locate your defibrillator where it is the nearest accessible device in a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). This is vital to reduce response times and ensure casualties receive treatment quickly to help maximise their chances of survival.
How to register a defibrillator with 999?
To register your defibrillator with 999, it needs to be added to The Circuit. This is a live map of defibrillators in the UK, used by the ambulance services to help locate the nearest defibrillator when on the way to an emergency. Registering your defibrillator at The Circuit will connect the device to 999 control rooms, allowing call handlers to share its location with bystanders, ensuring rapid interim treatment until the emergency services arrive.
How do you get the code for a defibrillator?
To obtain the code for a defibrillator in an emergency, call 999. The call handler will then provide the code for you to access your nearest defibrillator, using The Circuit network. Note that some defibrillators may have a key or phone number for retrieving the code on them, but calling 999 is the fastest, most reliable way to get the information needed and access a life-saving device when timing is critical.