This consultation is now closed. The final report will be published shortly.

We have started a nationwide public consultation on a health technology assessment (HTA) of public access defibrillation. The HTA aims to advise on the best public access defibrillation programme for Ireland, based on Irish and international clinical evidence, data and literature. It considers the effectiveness and safety of a number of programme combinations, which involve placing automated external defibrillator (AEDs) in community spaces.

We review data on the frequency of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Ireland, the existing availability of AEDs and the current management of sudden cardiac arrest in Ireland. A draft report of the HTA has now been published and we are looking for public feedback on its findings. The public consultation will run until 17 October 2014.