All Philips HeartStart MRx monitors/defibrillators – significant delay in the supply of batteries

The supply of batteries for these devices has been temporarily stopped so there may be a significant delay in the fulfillment of orders for new batteries.

Action

  • Identify affected devices.
  • Ensure alternative devices are available as defined in local risk assessment procedures should you be unable to source a new battery.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use on battery management to keep your existing batteries in the best possible condition.
  • Philips have stated that they expect to resume shipments of the MRx battery by 23rd January. Please contact Philips directly for any specific update relating to any orders.

Action by

All medical, nursing and technical staff involved in the use and maintenance of these devices.

Deadlines for actions

Actions underway: 22 January 2018

Actions complete: 5 February 2018

Manufacturer contacts

Philips Medical Systems
Tel: 0870 531 9741

Email: steve.leonard@philips.com

Distribution

If you are responsible for cascading these alerts in your organisation, these are our suggested distribution lists.

Trusts (NHS boards in Scotland)

CAS and NICAS liaison officers for onward distribution to all relevant staff including:

  • A&E consultants
  • A&E departments
  • A&E directors
  • A&E nurses
  • Adult intensive care units
  • All departments
  • All staff
  • All wards
  • Ambulance services directors
  • Ambulance staff
  • Anaesthesia, directors of
  • Anaesthetic medical staff
  • Anaesthetic nursing staff
  • Anaesthetists
  • Anti-coagulation clinics
  • Audiology departments
  • Biomedical engineering staff
  • Cardiac laboratory technicians
  • Cardiac pacing technicians
  • Cardiologists
  • Cardiology departments
  • Cardiology nurses
  • Cardiology, directors of
  • Cardiothoracic departments
  • Cardiothoracic surgeons
  • Cardiothoracic surgery directors
  • Chief pharmacists
  • Chiropodists
  • Clinical governance leads
  • Clinical perfusionists
  • Colposcopy departments
  • Community children’s nurses
  • Community defibrillation officers
  • Community dental practices
  • Community diabetes specialist nurses
  • Community hospitals
  • Community midwives
  • Community nurses
  • Coronary care departments
  • Coronary care nurses
  • Day surgery units
  • Dental departments
  • Dental nurses
  • Dentists
  • Diabetes clinics/outpatients
  • EBME departments
  • Endocrinology units
  • Endocrinology, directors of
  • ENT departments
  • ENT medical staff
  • ENT services, directors of
  • Equipment stores
  • Equipment libraries and stores
  • Fracture clinics
  • Gastroenterology departments
  • Gastroenterology, directors of
  • Gastro-intestinal surgeons
  • General surgeons
  • General surgery
  • General surgical units, directors of
  • Gynaecologists
  • Gynaecology departments
  • Gynaecology nurses
  • Haematologists
  • Haemodialysis nurses
  • Haemodialysis units
  • Health and safety managers
  • Health visitors
  • In-house maintenance staff
  • Intensive care medical staff/paediatrics
  • Intensive care nursing staff (adult)
  • Intensive care nursing staff (paediatric)
  • Intensive care units
  • Intensive care, directors of
  • Maintenance staff
  • Minor injury units
  • Maternity units
  • Maxillofacial departments
  • Medical directors
  • Medical libraries
  • Medical physics departments
  • Midwifery departments
  • Midwifery staff
  • MRI units, directors of
  • Neonatal nurse specialists
  • Neonatology departments
  • Neonatology directors
  • NHS walk-in centres
  • Nursing executive directors
  • Obstetricians
  • Obstetrics and gynaecology departments
  • Obstetrics and gynaecology directors
  • Obstetrics departments
  • Obstetrics nurses
  • Occupational health departments
  • Occupational therapists
  • Operating department practitioners
  • Ophthalmology departments
  • Ophthalmology, directors of
  • Oral surgeons
  • Orthopaedic surgeons
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Outpatient theatre managers
  • Outpatient theatre nurses
  • Paediatric intensive care units
  • Paediatric medicine, directors of
  • Paediatric nurse specialists
  • Paediatric oncologists
  • Paediatric surgeons
  • Paediatric surgery, directors of
  • Paediatric wards
  • Paediatricians
  • Paediatrics departments
  • Palliative care teams
  • Paramedics
  • Patient transport managers
  • Peritoneal dialysis units
  • Physiotherapists
  • Purchasing managers
  • Radiation & medical oncology departments
  • Radiographer superintendents
  • Radiographers
  • Radiologists
  • Radiology departments
  • Radiology directors
  • Renal medicine departments
  • Renal medicine, directors of
  • Resuscitation officers and trainers
  • Risk managers
  • School nurses
  • Special care baby units
  • Supplies managers
  • Theatre managers
  • Theatre nurses
  • Theatres
  • Urological surgeons
  • Urological surgery, directors of
  • Urology departments
  • Walk-in centres

Independent distribution

Establishments registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) (England only)

  • Hospitals in the independent sector
  • Independent treatment centres
  • Private medical practitioners

Please note: CQC and OFSTED do not distribute these alerts. Independent healthcare providers and social care providers can sign up to receive MDAs directly from the Department of Health’s Central Alerting System (CAS) by sending an email to: safetyalerts@dh.gsi.gov.uk and requesting this facility.

Enquiries

England

Send enquiries about this notice to MHRA, quoting reference number MDA/2018/002 or 2017/011/016/291/024.

Technical aspects

Paul Sandhu, MHRA
Tel: 020 3080 7266

paul.sandhu@mhra.gov.uk

Clinical aspects

Devices Clinical Team, MHRA
Tel: 020 3080 7274

DCT@mhra.gov.uk

Reporting adverse incidents in England

Through Yellow Card

Northern Ireland

Alerts in Northern Ireland are distributed via the NI SABS system.

Enquiries and adverse incident reports in Northern Ireland should be addressed to:

Northern Ireland Adverse Incident Centre, CMO Group,
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Tel: 028 9052 3868

Email: niaic@health-ni.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Adverse Incident Centre (NIAIC)

Please report directly to NIAIC using the forms on our website.

Scotland

Enquiries and adverse incident reports in Scotland should be addressed to:

Incident Reporting and Investigation Centre,
Health Facilities Scotland,
NHS National Services Scotland

Tel: 0131 275 7575

Email: nss.iric@nhs.net

Reporting adverse incidents in Scotland

NHS Boards and Local Authorities in Scotland – report to Health Facilities Scotland.

Contractors such as private hospitals carrying out NHS work and private care homes that accept social work funded clients – report to Health Facilities Scotland.

Private facilities providing care to private clients report to the Care Inspectorate and MHRA.

Wales

Enquiries in Wales should be addressed to:

Healthcare Quality Division,
Welsh Government

Tel: 02920 823 624 / 02920 825 510

Email: Haz-Aic@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Reporting adverse incidents in Wales

Report to MHRA through Yellow Card and follow specific advice for reporting in Wales in MDA/2004/054 (Wales).

Download documents

(MDA/2018/002) All Philips HeartStart MRx monitors/defibrillators – significant delay in the supply of batteries

Updates to this page

Published 15 January 2018