Fault warning over 1,300 defibrillators

Published on 21/11/2012 01:18

MORE than 1,300 life-saving defibrillators may not work because of a battery fault, the health regulator has warned.

Some of the machines, used when someone goes into cardiac arrest, may have a fault which can cause depleted batteries, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

First-aiders have been asked to check the serial number of the device they use, after manufacturer HeartSine Technologies issued a warning about machines distributed from August 2004 to December 2010.

Some Samaritan PAD 300/300P defibrillators are faulty because they may either turn on or off when not in use, which could drain the battery power.

HeartSine Technologies is sending out reserve batteries.