NHS issue portable defibrillator

Made:
2000-2002
NHS issue portable Defibrillator, in carrying pouch NHS issue portable Defibrillator, in carrying pouch

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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NHS issue portable Defibrillator, in carrying pouch
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

NHS issue portable Defibrillator, in carrying pouch
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

NHS issue portable defibrillator, in carrying pouch, with NHS logo on front, part of medical equipment and tools supplied to members of the London’s Ambulance Cycle Response Unit

Emergency responders on two wheels are a familiar sight in many cities, particularly during large scale events. Yet the UK’s first ambulance Cycle Response Unit (CRU) was established relatively recently. The idea was the brainchild of Emergency Medical Technician and former BMX racing champion Tom Lynch MBE, who knew he could reach people faster by bike on London’s gridlocked streets. In 1999 the NHS agreed to trial the service, and Tom made the most of his bicycle industry contacts to source the right equipment for the job. From the bike itself to the tyres, racks, panniers, uniform, and BMX helmet, each was selected and customised by Tom to ensure he could safely carry all the life-saving equipment transported by an ambulance. With everything on board – including a portable defibrillator, oxygen, entonox (commonly known as gas and air), monitors, drugs and a first aid kit – the unit weighed nearly 27kg.

Tom said, “I knew the day the trial became a success. I was based around the West End and the calls were coming in and I was doing my best to ease the pressure on the ambulance crews. I would race to incidents, flying past traffic, cycling where motor vehicles could not go and getting to patients quickly. That particular day I went to five incidents within one hour. I treated the patients, cancelled the ambulances and used other medical centres as opposed to the accident and emergency."

Over a six-month period, he was able to save more than 250 hours of ambulance availability. Today the London Ambulance Service’s 40 pedalling paramedics attend nearly 17,000 calls a year, resolving more than half of these at the scene.

Details

Category:
Emergency Medicine
Object Number:
2016-371
Measurements:
overall: 300 mm x 290 mm x 145 mm, 3.58 kg
type:
defibrillator
credit:
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Parts

NHS issue portable defibrillator

NHS issue portable defibrillator

NHS issue portable defibrillator. Square, yellow in colour, and with a square handle at the top of the defibrillator. The number '12' written in black ink at the top. Part of medical equipment and tools supplied to members of the London’s Ambulance Cycle Response Unit.

Materials:
plastic (unidentified) , metal (unknown) and silicon
Object Number:
2016-371/1
type:
defibrillator
Carrying pouch for portable defibrillator

Carrying pouch for portable defibrillator

Carrying pouch for portable defibrillator. Padded black textile pouch with NHS badge and yellow badge reading 'Medtronic Physio-Control Lifepak Defibrillator'. Textile strap attached to both ends with a plastic buckle. Part of medical equipment and tools supplied to members of the London’s Ambulance Cycle Response Unit

Materials:
synthetic textile and plastic (unidentified)
Object Number:
2016-371/2
type:
carrying pouch
Lithium battery for portable defibrillator

Lithium battery for portable defibrillator

Lithium battery for NHS issue portable defibrillator. Rectangular yellow battery with black label reading '500 Lithium battery'. Part of medical equipment and tools supplied to members of the London’s Ambulance Cycle Response Unit.

Materials:
plastic (unidentified)
Object Number:
2016-371/3
type:
lithium battery