Oldham and Saddleworth Liberal Democrats have won an award from North West Ambulance Service.
Councillor Garth Harkness attended the North West Ambulance Cardiac Smart award on Friday 23rd June 2017 in Leyland. The awards were presented to groups who have helped make the local area more resilient in terms of improving the clinical outcomes of those who have unfortunately suffered a cardiac arrest.
Saddleworth based Liberal Democrat councillors Alan Roughley, Garth Harkness and Derek Heffernan ran a campaign to get a defibrillator in every village in Saddleworth to be accessible 24 hours.
Councillor Garth Harkness said “It is a great privilege to be receiving such an award which needs to be shared with community groups and volunteers across Saddleworth. I want to pay tribute to our Saddleworth and Lees District team, officers in the public health department at Oldham council and fellow councillors for also passing a motion to make Oldham council more resilient in helping people suffering a cardiac arrest. Working together we have moved the odds in our area of surviving a cardiac arrest. Community spirit made this happen”
Councillor Derek Heffernan added “We are pleased to see so many defibrillators accessible across the borough 24 hours an example that other areas hopefully will follow. The guardians who check them each week are a vital part in ensuring we have good coverage”