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Need your opinions again please!

(6 Posts)
Katek Thu 25-May-23 13:43:13

As a community group we have provided several defibrillators throughout the village. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses we have been able to site these prominently and the ongoing cost of the electricity is being met by the shop owners etc. Once a defibrillator is used however, we have to replace pads and batteries at the cost of £100 and we fundraise and apply for grants to meet these and other costs in the community.

Twice recently a defibrillator has been used by the local care home, that's not a problem, indeed residents are part of the community. As we run on goodwil and fundraising we have asked the care home management if they would contribute to the cost of the consumables. Our contention is that they are a business, a profit making business, therefore using the equipment FOC is taking advantage of other people's generosity.

The management are being quite aggressive and uncooperative. Are we wrong in asking for a contribution from them?

Hithere Thu 25-May-23 13:46:04

Nothing, specially if a party is more likely to use the equipment than the rest

Aveline Thu 25-May-23 13:52:06

Gosh that's awful. Their residents are more likely to be using it too. You can't deny them access of course but they really should have defibrillators of their own. What does local health and social care partnership say? Presumably they're involved with commissioning services from the care home and might be concerned that the care home doesn't have this vital equipment already.

Katek Thu 25-May-23 13:54:20

Good points Aveline - must make enquiries. Thanks.

Blossoming Thu 25-May-23 14:10:56

Nothing to add to what Aveline has said. They really should be better equipped.

Tenko Thu 25-May-23 17:00:36

As a health care provider. The care home should have their own defib and train their staff how to use it, or thought it is very easy to use . CQC might be concerned about the lack of one .
Sharing one in the community is not ideal for a care home . Supposing the nearest one was in use or needed new pads, batteries etc.
I work in dentistry and we have to have one . We had a big discussion about advertising it within the local community, because of the possibility of needing it in the surgery and finding it in use in the community.