Hearings on defibrillators due

A public consultation on the use of defibrillators is due to begin in mid-September and end by October 17. The health technology assessment (HTA) of public access defibrillation currently being conducted by HIQA is examining the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different configurations of any potential public access defibrillation programme. Based on data from a number of suppliers, it is estimated that in excess of 17,000 units have been sold in this country since 1998. However, no information is currently available on the locations of these devices, what proportion are maintained and functional, and how many are available for use by…