A COMMUNITY defibrillator has been installed outside of an Ilkley dental practice to enable members of the public to assist in 999 emergencies.

The machine has been mounted outside the Acorn Villas Dental Practice in The Grove, in an illuminated case so it is highly visible day and night.

Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) funds community defibrillators across the region it covers. Suitable locations were identified in partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which supplied and delivered them.

Now, anyone who dials 999 and reports a possible cardiac arrest will be directed to the nearest defibrillator by the emergency operator, and given the code to open the cabinet. They will then be able to remove the defibrillator to supply an electrical charge to the patient, in the hope of re-starting their heart.

Those behind the scheme say it is easy to use, as the person receiving instructions only has to follow the voice commands given by the defibrillator. The defibrillator is designed not to deliver a shock if it detects a heartbeat, so people will not run the risk of accidentally using it on someone who is still breathing.

The CCG says a person's chance of survival decreases every minute following cardiac arrest, making it urgent that medical treatment begins as soon as possible.

The dental practice said: "We have always had a defibrillator housed inside our practice but, of course, it is only accessible during working hours and there has been no community access.

"Every moment counts when someone goes into cardiac arrest, so the defibrillator is an important facility to aid those who need emergency treatment."

Dr Colin Renwick, clinical chairman for the CCG, said: “Following a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by 23 per cent per minute, so it’s vital medical treatment starts as soon as possible.

“This lifesaving equipment can be used while the ambulance is on its way to someone suffering a cardiac arrest.

“We want to give all our patients the best chance of survival and the CCG has funded a number of community public access defibrillators (cPADs), so lives can be saved and disabilities reduced."

Ilkley now has a number of defibrillators for public use in several businesses, community venues and sports clubs, and the Ilkley Community Responders group also has a mobile unit it can take to emergencies.