Councillors turn down 'idiot-proof' defibrillator - in case they are sued if patient dies

An 'idiot-proof' life-saving defibrillator has been voted against and thus turned down by councillors, as they were worried they would be sued if a patient died while using it.

Witham Town Council in Essex was even offered £1,000 in order to cover the lion's share of the cost of the small portable piece of equipment, used to treat cardiac arrests and breathing problems.

The decision to reject the machine, which would have been placed in Witham Town Hall, has been branded as 'complete madness' and local doctors are up in arms that the easy-to-use machine has been spurned

Dr Bryan Spencer, of NHS Mid Essex, said: 'You attach the electric pads to the patient's chest and it will either say 'shock' or 'don't shock' - it won't let you use it unless it is needed - it is idiot proof

'If you can act in time, you could save a life.

'You don't need a great deal of training actually - you have ones which give instructions as to what to do.

'They can be used by virtually any member of the public and can be used in the event of a cardiac arrest.'

Janet Money cast the vote to turn down the defibrillator and she justified her decision by saying: 'There is an emotional aspect if the person does not recover - you could be sued by the family.

'You have got to know exactly why the person has collapsed - it is not as simple as just using a machine.'

The defibrillators have become common place in village halls, sports clubs and places of work in recent years and it is estimated they help to save hundreds of lives every year.

Lucy Barlow, who sits on the council, was outraged by the decision and she said: 'It is complete madness to turn down such an offer.
'We don't have any Community First responders in Witham but as I understand it, there is a plan to to train and put some in Witham, so on that basis they will need the equipment to use.'

Moves are now under way to try to reverse the decision, but councillors warned it could be a 'fairly tortuous process' to go through