Dear Jay

Thank you for your request for information regarding AEDs which we
received today.

We will deal with this request in accordance with your right of access to
information we hold under the Freedom of Information Act and I attach a
leaflet containing further information about both your rights and our
obligations under this legislation. You will see from this that we are not
obliged to generate information we do not already hold in order to provide
what we are asked for, such as by collating data or formulating direct
answers to questions, but you are entitled to receive copies of records
(or extracts from them) that contain the information you have requested.

We will research the information you have requested and we will respond
providing what we hold no later than 21/10/19 in accordance with the
timescales set by the Act.

We will inform you if:

a) We are unable to provide you with any of the information you have
requested, and explain the reason for this; and

b) Any fee that is payable for the information we are able to provide.

In the meantime, if you have any queries or require clarification on any
aspect of your request or how we will respond, please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Kind regards

Clare Lunk | Assistant Information Governance Manager

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

[1]cid:[email address]

Direct Line 01392 261 603

Web [2]www.swast.nhs.uk

E-Mail [3][email address]

Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter EX2 7HY

References

Visible links
2. http://www.swast.nhs.uk/
3. mailto:[email address]

Dear Jay

A PDF of our response is attached – we are aware of a formatting
compatibility issue with What Do They Know.

I refer to our acknowledgement on 23/09/19  in respect of your request for
information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.  We
are able to provide the following information:

Information requested Trust response
I would be grateful if Thank you for your enquiry to the South Western
you could supply me Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT),
with details of the unfortunately I can confirm that the location
locations of publicly information of defibrillators is being withheld
accessible automated under the following exemptions permissible under
external the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
defibrillators (AEDs).
For each unit, I would  
particularly like to
know a location Law Enforcement
description / address,
postcode, location 31.—(1) Information which is not exempt information
coordinates (if by virtue of section 30 is exempt information if
known), reference its disclosure under this Act would, or would be
number, and likely to, prejudice—
owner/operator.
(a) the prevention or detection of crime,
 
 
I do NOT wish to know
any access codes Health and Safety
required to open the
cabinets. I have a 38.—(1) Information is exempt information if its
strong preference for disclosure under this Health and safety. Act would,
receiving this or would be likely to—
information in a
re-usable electronic (a) endanger the physical or mental health of any
format, e.g. a CSV individual, or
file (preferred) or an
Excel spreadsheet. (b) endanger the safety of any individual.

There is a significant risk arising from a list of
community defibrillators appearing in the public
domain were this list could fall in to wrong hands
and enable perpetrators to use the information to
either steal or damage the devices.

There is also a health and safety consideration
that defibrillators do become unavailable on
occasions during periods of maintenance, repair or
withdrawal. Therefore having a list in the public
domain will not protect individuals or promote
patient care as attempts may be made to locate and
obtain potentially faulty or withdrawn devices for
people in need instead of accessing approved ready
to use devices as directed by our emergency call
dispatchers.

Disclosure may also have an adverse effect on
public health. As a Trust we want people to call
999 in the first instance and to not go searching
for a defibrillator that may not be available or
indeed needed. By having members of the public
appropriately directed by our emergency call
dispatchers to a defibrillator as required will
avoid wastage of time which would be better spent
in supporting the immediate emergency care of a
patient and ensure that a working device is
available and accessible in a timely manner.

Based upon our reasoning outlined above, in this
instance the Trust considers that there is a
greater public interest in withholding the
information you have requested rather than making
this information publicly available.

Although our Trust does not publish defibrillator
locations based on the rationale above, you may
find the following resource helpful:
[1]http://www.heartsafe.org.uk/aed-locations

Please note that, under the Re-use of Public Sector Information
Regulations, if you wish to publish or otherwise use this information
besides for your own means, you will need to seek our permission to do so.

Please feel free to contact me if you require further clarification of the
information provided, or to discuss any aspect of the way in which we have
responded to your request. 

However, if you are dissatisfied with our response, you also have the
right to make use of the following complaints procedures:

In the first instance you may write to the Chief Executive of this Trust

Mr Ken Wenman

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Abbey Court

Eagle Way

Exeter  EX2 7HY

Mr Wenman will then either make arrangements for your complaint to be
reviewed and for the outcome to be communicated to you, or will convene a
panel of Trust Directors to consider an appeal against a decision to
withhold information.

If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint, or findings of the
Panel, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner’s Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,                                 

Wilmslow,

Cheshire.  SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 700

Fax: 01625 524 510

Kind regards

Kevin Pointer | Information Governance Manager

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Direct Line 0300 369 0132

Web [2]www.swast.nhs.uk

E-Mail [3][South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust request email]

Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter EX2 7HY

References

Visible links
1. http://www.heartsafe.org.uk/aed-locations
2. http://www.swast.nhs.uk/
3. mailto:[South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust request email]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for your email – we are in the process of reviewing the decision
to withhold the data and will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank
you for your patience in the interim.

Kind regards,

Clare Lunk | Assistant Information Governance Manager
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Direct Line 01392 261 603 | Web [1]www.swast.nhs.uk | E-Mail
[email address]

Trust Headquarters, Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter, EX2 7HY, TrustHQ

show quoted sections

Dear Jay

A PDF copy of this email is also attached – we are aware of a formatting
issue on the WDTK website which may affect the legibility of the tabled
response below.

I refer to your email of the 22/10/19  in respect of your request for
information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.  

We are now able to provide the following information, please accept our
apologies that this was not provided previously.

Information requested Trust response
I would be grateful if you could Please see attached, noting the
supply me with details of the following caveats;
locations of publicly accessible
automated external defibrillators  
(AEDs). For each unit, I would
particularly like to know a The attached list is constantly subject
location description / address, to change – i.e. as new defibs get added
postcode, location coordinates on/old or faulty devices removed. As
(if known), reference number, and such the list attached should not be
owner/operator. relied on in an emergency; you should
always ring ‘999’ in the event of a
  cardiac emergency where a defibrillator
may be required. The call handler who
receives your call will advise you where
your nearest defib is (if
applicable/appropriate) as well as
providing life-saving telephone support
(i.e. CPR instructions)

This list only contains those
defibrillators which are Public Access
and does not include privately
owned/static site defibs. Static site
defibs are typically those owned by a
business or organisation where some sort
of restriction will apply. Examples of
static site defibs include care homes,
nursing homes, schools, and colleges.

Please note that, under the Re-use of Public Sector Information
Regulations, if you wish to publish or otherwise use this information
besides for your own means, you will need to seek our permission to do so.

Please feel free to contact me if you require further clarification of the
information provided, or to discuss any aspect of the way in which we have
responded to your request. 

However, if you are dissatisfied with our response, you also have the
right to make use of the following complaints procedures:

In the first instance you may write to the Chief Executive of this Trust

Mr Ken Wenman

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Abbey Court

Eagle Way

Exeter  EX2 7HY

Mr Wenman will then either make arrangements for your complaint to be
reviewed and for the outcome to be communicated to you, or will convene a
panel of Trust Directors to consider an appeal against a decision to
withhold information.

If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint, or findings of the
Panel, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner’s Office,

Wycliffe House,

Water Lane,                                 

Wilmslow,

Cheshire.  SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545 700

Fax: 01625 524 510

Kind regards

Clare Lunk | Assistant Information Governance Manager

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

[1]cid:[email address]

Direct Line 01392 261 603 

Web [2]www.swast.nhs.uk

E-Mail [3][email address]

Abbey Court, Eagle Way, Exeter EX2 7HY

References

Visible links
2. http://www.swast.nhs.uk/
3. mailto:[email address]