Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       The purpose of the report is to provide further update to the Committee on the progress OF the public access defibrillator pilot programme.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

·        note the update on the pilot programme; and

·        approve the proposed locations for the third phase of the public access defibrillator programme – Ormeau Park (depot area), Orangefield Park, Shore Road Playing Fields, Suffolk Playing Fields, Strangford Playing Fields, Loughshore Playing Fields, Musgrave Park and Ulidia Playing Fields. This is subject to the identification of a suitable location with an electrical supply and confirmation with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) that there are no other public access defibrillators within a short distance;

 

3.0       Main Report

 

3.1       Update on first and second phase of public access defibrillator provision

 

            Members will be aware the Council has been undertaking a public access defibrillator pilot programme. As part of this programme defibrillators were initially installed in 6 parks in May 2016, namely:

 

·        Victoria Park

·        Waterworks Park

·        Fullerton Park

·        Tullycarnet Park

·        Boucher Road Playing Fields

·        Falls Park

 

3.2       A second phase of installation took place in September 2017 across a further 7 Council sites, namely:

 

·        Grove Playing Fields

·        Cherryvale Playing Fields

·        Blanchflower Stadium

·        Wedderburn Playing Fields

·        Woodvale Playing Fields

·        Henry Jones Playing Fields

·        Woodlands Playing Fields

 

3.3       Installation at Botanic Park and City of Belfast Playing Fields is also due to take place as part of the second phase. The installation at Botanic Park has been delayed due to the ongoing project at the Tropical Ravine. The installation at City of Belfast Playing Fields has been delayed due to vandalism of the defibrillator cabinet (see below).

 

3.4       Deployment

 

            To date there are no records of any of the installed defibrillators having actually been used since the beginning of the pilot programme.

 

 

3.5       Damage/vandalism to Defibrillators

 

            There have been a number of vandalism incidents to the Council’s public access defibrillators during this pilot programme. 

 

3.6       An incident involving the defibrillator at Waterworks Park resulted in the unit’s paediatric pads having to be replaced, in addition to ancillary equipment (towel, razor etc). A number of incidents in Fullerton Park have resulted in the defibrillator being retrieved from the local PSNI station and on another occasion being damaged beyond repair (the defibrillator has since been replaced free of charge by the local manufacturer). The City of Belfast Playing Fields cabinet was damaged beyond repair before the defibrillator could be installed. A decision has now been taken to relocate the cabinet and defibrillator within the Pavilion building, which is accessible to the public while the park is open.

 

3.7       An additional two defibrillators have had to be temporarily withdrawn from service at Woodvale Playing Fields and Falls Park due to issues with the cabinet opening mechanisms. Discussions are ongoing with the Supplier to have these cabinets repaired or replaced and the defibrillators re-instated at the earliest opportunity.

 

3.8       Management

 

            A number of local staff have been trained in the use of the defibrillators and further training is planned. Staff have also been trained and appointed to monitor the condition of the equipment on a regular basis.

 

3.9       Third phase of public access Defibrillator Provision

 

            At the People and Communities Committee meeting on 13th June 2017, the Committee was informed of a donation of £5,408 from the family of the late Mark Murphy.

 

3.10     The Committee agreed to a third phase of installation across a further 8 Council sites, using the donation to cover the cost of buying the 8 defibrillators. The Committee was informed at the same meeting that the Murphy family had requested that one of the defibrillators was installed in Cherryvale Playing Fields as it is located close to the family home and is extensively used by many of the friends and families who have supported them in their fundraising. As Cherryvale Playing Fields was one of the agreed sites for the second phase this request and the erection of a plaque at the defibrillator in Cherryvale Playing Fields to acknowledge the donation was agreed at this meeting. The plaque was unveiled and received positive media coverage on 19th August 2017.

 

3.11     During this pilot programme, the focus for public access defibrillators on Council sites has been on recreational facilities and those sites with significant public access or high footfall. Continuing with this focus on recreational facilities and recognising the specific reference to sports facilities within the Community Resuscitation Strategy and the Murphy family’s wishes, the next phase of provision would be proposed for:

 

·        Ormeau Park (depot area)

·        Orangefield Park

·        Shore Road Playing Fields

·        Suffolk Playing Fields

·        Strangford Playing Fields

·        Loughshore Playing Fields

·        Musgrave Park

·        Ulidia Playing Fields

 

3.12     The provision of defibrillators at these sites would be subject to the identification of a suitable location with an electrical supply and confirmation with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) that there are no other public access defibrillators within a short distance.

 

3.13     Financial and Resource Implications

 

            The cost of 8 defibrillators for the third phase of the programme will be covered by the donation from the Murphy family. It was anticipated that costs associated with the cabinets and installation of the defibrillators would be covered by the funding already allocated to the second phase of defibrillator installation, however all funding allocated to the second phase has been used. The costs associated with cabinets and installation for the third phase of the programme and ongoing vandalism will be met by the 2017/2018 Parks Service budget.

 

3.14     Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

            The Council’s Good Relation Unit have advised that proposals for extending the deployment of defibrillators will have a positive effect on the Health and Wellbeing of people who work, live and visit Belfast and that this is a positive equality action.”

 

            A Member highlighted that defibrillators were not available in the Council’s community centres and requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting regarding the potential of extending defibrillator provision.  He suggested that consideration be given to funding this programme of works from any in-year departmental underspend.

 

            The Assistant Director advised that this would be considered and a report would be submitted to a future meeting.

 

            Several Members made a number of suggestions as to where the defibrillators could be located and it was agreed to defer consideration in respect of the locations to the Area Working Groups.

 

            The Committee noted that the location would be subject to the identification of a suitable location with an electrical supply and confirmation with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) that there were no other public access defibrillators within a short distance.

 

The Committee:

 

·        approved progression to the third phase of the public access defibrillator programme and agreed that discussion regarding the location of the defibrillators would be undertaken through the four Area Working Groups, with a report to be submitted to a future meeting of the People and Communities Committee; and

·        agreed to assess the potential of extending defibrillator provision to other Council assets and that proposals would be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.