Posted on

Buying Guide for a used Lifepak or Zoll Monitor / Defibrillator

Wessex Medical

You have probably seen a Lifepak 12 or Zoll M series advertised on online auction sites and thought it might be nice to have one, and it’s so cheap, well let’s take you through the pitfalls that you might come across.

Firstly we are not trying to put you off the purchase, if you have decided you need the facilities that either of these defibrillator/monitors can offer you then you’ve made a good choice but let’s face it, these units are like Rolls Royce Cars. They are the best around in their day but they are now used units and can be very expensive to repair if they go wrong. Don’t forget you will also need to have them serviced every year to comply with the demands of CQC for example. All this can be costly if you’ve not budgeted for it.

Let’s start by looking at the features available:

AED: a great option to have, nearly all the used units available now in the UK come with fittings for using disposable Defib pads and having the option of AED asw ell just adds to the number of potential users who can easily and quickly be taught to use the machine. So if possible buy one with the AED option.

Pacing: some were sold to the ambulance services at the time but rarely used, its probable you will hardly ever get the chance to use pacing but on the other hand it doesn’t add anything to the value of the machine so if you’ve got it great, don’t let it be a deal-breaker if it’s not on the one you’ve seen.

12 Lead ECG: Probably the real reason you have a Lifepak 12 or Zoll in your sights. Make sure the Lifepak 12 also has the 100mm printer it came with and it hasn’t been swapped for the 50mm option or you’ll be looking at a bill of several hundred pounds to upgrade. Do you have the right cables to go with the 12-lead option?

Biphasic Waveform: The Biphasic waveform was introduced by the industry back in the 1990’s and is much more effective than monophasic. That doesn’t mean monophasic doesn’t work any longer but the value of your future purchase has just dropped by a considerable margin so be aware. Do you know how to tell the difference between the two versions and can you be sure of what you are led to believe?

Which one have you got?

Pulse Oximetry: is a popular option, remember you can purchase a small fingertip pulse oximeter for around £50 but its nicer to have it integrated into your new monitor and most Zoll and Lifepaks come with as an option. Make sure you have the sensor as these can be £150 to replace.

Non-Invasive Blood Pressure: Probably something you will use quite a bit. It will add value and cost to the monitor you are buying and although very popular on new LP12’s I’m not sure it was as popular on the Zoll. That means you may not always find it available. Does it matter, well it’s nice to have a printed record of the patients BP but you can buy a digital BP monitor now for as low as £15 !! Your call.

Carry Case: Sometimes they are included and if in good condition well worth having but many are a bit battered; after all, they are there to protect the machine. It is nigh on impossible to find new cases these days.

Cables, Sensors and Batteries: are these included in the deal, quite often they are not. To re-equip a Lifepak 12 with these items could easily cost you £1000 if you have to buy new ones.

Don’t forget to budget for an additional battery charger with the Lifepak 12, you’ll need one unless you have a support system already.

Age: A popular question is one regarding the age of the used unit, this is irrelevant since it may be 10 years old and have been barely used in a rural station, it could be five years old and been used in the city centre. Even if it has been used in the city centre many parts may have been replaced during its life. We are never provided with operational history. Be guided by the general condition but its easy to change the outer case if you know-how.

Used machines will always have a potentially shorter life than new equipment but with the price of a new Defib/monitor now approaching £17000 I guess for many of you there is little option.

You can cross your fingers and buy from an auction site where after-sales support is likely to be non-existent or you can buy from Wessex Medical.

I worked for Physio-Control for nearly 20 years and my engineer for around 15 years. We have been heavily involved in the LP12 since before it was launched.

We believe the units we sell are amongst the best on the market, they are not the cheapest but you have the knowledge we look after our customers and more importantly, we can support you before and after your purchase.

We carry a range of accessories and can service your Lifepak or Zoll at a reasonable charge.

Why not call us with your requirements on 01722 410084

Alan Caulfield

Posted on

Red Sea Issues

We have just been hit with another 5% increase by one of our suppliers as a direct result of the issues in the Red Sea area, this hits our profits as we try to absorb all these price rises and no pass them on to our customers. Along with this rise and the inevitable 2-week delay as shipping from the Far East takes the long route around please have patience with us as we struggle to deliver your orders within the same time frame as we usually do.

In addition, there are still some issues in China following COVID-19 (believe it or not) and no surprise BREXIT is slowing down imports and exports to Europe.

We continue to work hard to get the items to you as fast as we can but sometimes delays are outside of our control.

Posted on

“We Feel We Need To Let You Know About This”

Wessex Medical

“We Feel We Need To Let You Know About This”

According to announcements to us and online, Unite Union and DHL Aviation will strike from February 9th (from midnight tonight) until Monday 19th February.

DHL workers at East Midlands Airport plan strike

DHL may experience some delays with regards to International Shipments (that’s where the Aviation Team sits).

If you have anything urgent to send, please call or email us as soon as possible.

For anything else, we anticipate one or two days delay.

Posted on

Philips FR2 Battery

The FR2 battery is currently out of stock worldwide, our recommendation to you is that you place an order and claim your place on a back order list otherwise you will continually be at the back of the queue. We regret this situation which is due to a shortage of components and beyond our control.

Posted on

Courier Issues

Most if not all courier services are experiencing delays at present over which we and our colleagues have no control.

In most cases our parcels within the UK are delivered next day however we do see some parcels held up for an extra 24 hours. There is nothing we can do control this and most of our competitors have reacted to this by rightly cancelling their timed deliveries.

We no longer use Evri for deliveries as they can often takes months to deliver if they don’t actually lose the parcel entirely. It may however persuade you not to entrust your parcels to us with them as we can’t be held responsible for the loss, and neither it seems is Evri !

If you are sending a parcel into us and you would find it easier we can arrange collection at cost and your risk if that makes it easier for you.

Hopefully the situation will get better as the holidays fade away although it doesn’t seem to be entirely the fault of Father Christmas.

Posted on

Credit Card Security Issues

The Credit Card providers have introduced stronger security measures to protect their customers, this is beyond our control and you may find that occasionally you experience that your card is declined. Should this happen to you make sure your address matches the address the card issuer holds and if it persists do please get in touch with us directly and we will do our utmost to help.

Posted on

Rise in Freight Charges

Wessex Medical

All our main suppliers have announced a rise in shipping charges. In most cases this has added 10% to our shipping costs, in one case they have added 25%.

The reason for this is blamed on many factors from a shortage of lorry drivers to Brexit to Custom delays and shipping container shortages on the high seas.

We have managed to absorb most of this increase and hopefully we will continue to do so however it is inevitable that costs are on the increase and this is just to give you a heads up and so that you are clear as to what lies behind the rise.

Posted on

Delays across all supply chains

We are still experiencing delays with some product lines. There seems to be no clear sign as to which products are at risk and this extends well beyond the medical world. There are several possible reasons for this.

  1. China has serious staff shortages at two major ports causing a backlog in containers. This is due to staff isolating with Covid.
  2. There are shortages in components affecting the manufacturing of some items. This is affecting some AEDs now and even some pads are out of stock.
  3. Staff shortages in the UK due to the NHS app pinging staff.
  4. Couriers are overwhelmed by the increase in business since lockdown last year.
  5. Customs delays with new rules following Brexit both here and at the point of departure.

We will try to keep you informed on an individual basis and we apologise on behalf of our suppliers.

Posted on

Shipping to and from Europe

Wessex Medical

Maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise however we are now halfway through January and shipments via courier both in and out of Europe are showing a delay as the courier systems get used to the extra paperwork involved.

Some of our supply chains emanate from Europe and of course, this is beyond our control and so far appears to only add 24/48 hrs to the delivery schedules.

Please bear with us until this settles down.

Posted on

DHL Services in Europe

Good Afternoon

We have received a notification from DHL, that their European road services to Europe are suspended with immediate effect. This is due to a large backlog of vehicles held in France. They are working closely with partners and currently expect services to be available from Thursday 7 January. Their International air service remains available.

Please do not hesitate to contact your local InXpress office if you have any queries.

Best wishes

Alan

Posted on

Ambulance Stolen in Deeside

A 25-year-old man has been arrested after the theft of an ambulance.

The emergency vehicle was stolen while the crew were treating a patient in a house on Green Lane in Deeside, Flintshire, on 14 November.

It was later found abandoned and damaged a short distance away in Dee View Crescent and had to be taken out of service.

A North Wales Police spokesman said: “The arrested man, from Connah’s Quay, has been released under investigation.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST) said at the time it “could have led to very serious harm” if the patient had urgently needed to go to the hospital.

Posted on

When should you wash your hands?

You should wash your hands:

  • after using the toilet or changing a nappy
  • before and after handling raw foods like meat and vegetables
  • before eating or handling food
  • after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
  • before and after treating a cut or wound
  • after touching animals, including pets, their food and after cleaning their cages

Washing your hands properly removes dirt, viruses and bacteria to stop them spreading to other people and objects, which can spread illnesses such as food poisoning, flu or diarrhoea.

It can help stop people picking up infections and spreading them to others.

It can also help stop spreading infections when you’re visiting someone in hospital or another healthcare setting.

Posted on

FDA authorizes industrial respirators for use during coronavirus

 By 

N95 respirator (Image from the FDA)

The FDA has authorized the use of certain industrial respirator masks for healthcare workers during the coronoavirus outbreak.

The N95 disposable filtering facepiece respirators have been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as non-powered air-purifying particulate respirators. Healthcare workers will be allowed to use these, including those that have passed the manufacturers’ recommended shelf-life, to prevent exposure to the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

The FDA has allowed emergency-use non-cleared devices during previous health emergencies, including the Zika virus outbreak in 2016, the enterovirus outbreak in 2015 and the ebola virus outbreak in 2014.

Manufacturers and government-designated “strategic stockpilers” of the respirators included in this emergency authorization must notify the FDA of adverse events related to their use, according to a letter from CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield.

More information is available here.

Tell Us What You Think!

Posted on

Wiltshire Air Ambulance receives AOC and resumes flying

Wiltshire Air Ambulance are delighted to announce they have received their own Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and will return to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) immediately.
Our charity is now just one of four air ambulances who hold their own Air Operator Certificate.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance

We are delighted to announce we have received our Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and will return to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) immediately.
Our charity is now just one of four air ambulances who hold their own Air Operator Certificate.

Chief executive David Philpott says: “This has been a hard slog and has taken a lot longer than we anticipated – and a lot longer than it really should have.

“I would like to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly for the charity to get the AOC; they have all gone the extra mile.

“Our trustees have provided rock solid support throughout the process. Equally the backing from our Ambassadors and local MPs has been very welcome.

“Our pilots, paramedics and charity staff deserve immense credit for their work during this challenging period, along with our dedicated volunteers who are out supporting the charity at events come rain or shine.

“Importantly we are now able to return to what we are here to do, providing helicopter emergency medical services for the people of Wiltshire and surrounding areas.”

Our Bell 429 helicopter is available to be called to incidents immediately.

Posted on

Donate your silver for the Air Ambulance anniversary

A wide range of silver-themed donations are being sought by the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, which will help support the life-saving service as part of their 25th Anniversary celebrations.

The local Air Ambulance has recently launched its brand-new ‘Donate Your Silver’ fundraising initiative, which asks members of the public to donate their silver items throughout the Charity’s silver anniversary year.

Anyone who would like to Donate Your Silver to the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and support this new initiative, you can request your very own supporter pack by emailing fundraising@ambucopter.org.uk/

https://www.marketrasenmail.co.uk/news/people/donate-your-silver-for-air-ambulance-anniversary-1-9014112

Posted on

When to call 999

At some point, most people will either witness or be involved in an accident or experience a medical emergency.

Knowing what to do next and who to call can potentially save lives.

Life-threatening emergencies
Call 999 in a medical emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

Medical emergencies can include:

loss of consciousness
an acute confused state
fits that aren’t stopping
chest pain
breathing difficulties
severe bleeding that can’t be stopped
severe allergic reactions
severe burns or scalds
Call 999 immediately if you or someone else is having a heart attack or stroke. Every second counts with these conditions.

Also call 999 if you think someone has had a major trauma, such as after a serious road traffic accident, a stabbing, a shooting, a fall from a height, or a serious head injury.

What happens when I call 999?

If it’s a genuine emergency, where someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, call 999 and don’t panic.

You can contact emergency services via SMS if you’re deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment.

Visit the emergencySMS website for more information or to register your phone.

1. Answer the questions
Once you’re connected to a call handler, you’ll have to answer a series of questions to establish what’s wrong, such as:

Where are you (including the area or postcode)?
What phone number are you calling from?
What has happened?
This will allow the operator to determine the most appropriate response as quickly as possible.

Dialling 999 doesn’t necessarily mean an ambulance will be dispatched. The call handler will decide what’s appropriate.

It may be safe enough for you to be seen elsewhere, or you can be given telephone advice by a medically trained clinical adviser.

An ambulance will be sent if it’s a life-threatening emergency.

Response units that could be dispatched include:

an emergency ambulance
a rapid response vehicle or motorbike
a cycle response unit
a community first responder
a combination of the above
2. Don’t hang up yet
Wait for a response from the ambulance control room. They might have further questions for you, such as:

What’s the age, gender and medical history of the patient?
Is the person awake or conscious and breathing?
Is there any serious bleeding or chest pain?
What is the injury and how did it happen?
The person handling your call will let you know when they have all the information they need.

You might also be given instructions about how to give first aid until the ambulance arrives.

How you can assist the ambulance crew
There are a number of things you can do to assist the ambulance service.

For example, stay calm and:

if you’re in the street, stay with the patient until help arrives
call the ambulance service back if the patient’s condition changes
call the ambulance service back if your location changes
if you’re calling from home or work, ask someone to open the door and direct the paramedics to where they’re needed
lock away family pets
if you can, write down the patient’s GP details and collect any medication they’re taking
if you can, tell the paramedics about any allergies the patient has
If appropriate, you may want to call the patient’s GP. The GP may meet you at the A&E department, or call with important information about the patient.

Who Will Treat You ?

Posted on

London Ambulance Service appoints trauma surgeon and GP to its board

London Ambulance Service has announced the appointment of two prominent London clinicians to its Trust board as non-executive directors.

Professor Karim Brohi and Dr Mark Spencer take up their posts on 1 March.

Prof Brohi has worked as a consultant in trauma and vascular surgery at Barts Health NHS Trust since 2006 and is the clinical lead for pre-hospital care. Since 2014, he has been the clinical director of the London major trauma system, incorporating four specialist trauma centres, and the care of over 15,000 patients a year.

Dr Spencer worked as a GP in Ealing for 28 years before becoming a GP associate working for Bullingdon Prison in Buckinghamshire last year. He is a clinical quality expert who brings 30 years’ experience working as a GP in London and the surrounding areas.

Posted on

Resus Council Guidance on Dentists level of Equipment

Resus Council Guidance

Primary dental care-equipment list

Contents
1. Introduction and scope
2. General points
3. Suggested minimum equipment list
3.1 Airway and Breathing
3.2 Circulation
3.3 Notes

1. Introduction and scope
Primary dental care facilities have an obligation to provide a high-quality resuscitation service and to ensure that staff are trained and updated regularly to a level of proficiency appropriate to each individual’s expected role.

As part of the quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training, this document provides lists of the minimum equipment required for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in primary dental care. This document is referenced from, and is a component of, the ‘Quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training for primary dental care’.

The core standards for the provision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation across all healthcare settings are described in:

Introduction and overview Quality standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice and training

To view the whole guidance click here

Posted on

Statement on Anaphylactic Guidelines from the RC (UK)

Resus Council Guidance

Statement on Anaphylactic Guidelines

We seek to clarify misinterpreted information about Resuscitation Council (UK) guidance which has been referred to in recent press coverage following the coroner’s report on the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse.

The RC (UK) guidance which has been referred to is entitled Emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions and is specifically written for healthcare providers. The RC (UK) does not provide guidance for the use of auto-injectors, as they are not universally used in a healthcare setting as a method of administering adrenaline.

Both the length of the needle and the dose recommendations of adrenaline referred to in recent press coverage are intended for healthcare professionals treating an anaphylaxis reaction.

With regards to needle length, for intramuscular injections, the needle needs to be long enough to ensure that the drug is injected into the muscle. A 25 mm needle is best and is suitable for all ages. [1] This guidance is based on recommendations from the Department of Health UK. [2]

The guidance only makes reference to auto-injectors (prescribed to patients at risk of anaphylaxis, for their own use) if they are the only available adrenaline preparation when treating anaphylaxis in a healthcare setting.

With regards to dose recommendations, we would like to stress that 500 mcg is the dose healthcare professionals should give to patients over 12 years of age and is not, as has been incorrectly quoted, an RC (UK) recommendation for the provision of adrenaline through auto-injectors.

The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) produces guidance on the prescribing of and use of adrenaline auto-injectors.

Posted on

Our OnLine Chat

We have installed an online chat service now as you will notice in the bottom of the web page

It’s proving very popular and we try to answer immediately whenever you connect, however many people ask a question but forget to leave a contact email address. Without a way to get back to we can’t do anything to help so please don’t forget to leave an address.

The same applies to the phone, if we are busy or already on the phone you will be diverted to the mobile phone and its voicemail. Don’t be put off. If you don’t leave a message we can’t return the call, however if you leave a message we will return the call asap.