Pupils come a step closer to saving lives

Together with former Bolton West MP Julie Hilling we have been running the Every School-Leaver a Lifesaver campaign, which was launched after Bolton Wanderers star Fabric Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a FA Cup tie in 2012.

The campaign led to more children and adults being trained in CPR and the positioning of more defibrillators being placed across Bolton and, vitally, awareness of the need to have lifesaving skills.

Every child in Bolton and across the country will leave school knowing how to save a life, under Government plans.

Children will be taught how to administer CPR, use of defibrillators and how to treat common injuries under government plans for health education to be taught in every school. And a bill to place a defibrillator in every school passed its first stage.

Ms Hilling ­— who is now Labour's Parliamentary candidate for Bolton West said: "I am so happy that every school leaver will be a life saver.

"Potentially 200,000 people will live because people around them will know what to do to save them when they have an accident or a cardiac arrest.

"I campaigned in Parliament and in the community to get Emergency Life Skills taught in schools.

"I had a Private Members Bill, amendments to Bills and many meetings with Ministers."

She added: "The Bolton News campaigned with me after Fabrice Muamba suffered his cardiac arrest.

"All the secondary schools in Bolton West taught their pupils and Westhoughton High school should be particularly proud because their pupils continued the campaign. Now every child in the country will learn how to save a life. I was inspired by stories of children and adults who had saved their loved ones. Now there will be many more amazing stories."

In countries that already teach CPR in schools, cardiac arrest survival rates are more than double those of the UK.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: "On arriving at university I was struck that the American students I met knew how to do CPR ­— and I didn't have a clue.

"As a father I want my children to have the knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves safe and help others, and as Education Secretary I want that for every child

The proposals, due to be rolled out in 2020, are part of the Department for Education's plans to strengthen teaching of health, sex and relationships education.

Bolton West MP Chris Green has sponsored a bill that will ensure that defibrillators are in every school and sports centre – which has now passed its first stage.

The Ten Minute Rule Bill calls for the government to mandate the installation of defibrillators in all schools and sports centres and to also fund training so that people know what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest.

The bill also calls for the creation of a defibrillator register, to ensure that more people can find out where their nearest defibrillator is.

Mr Green is one of the eight MPs that have sponsored the Bill which has been granted a second reading.

Mr Green said: “Twelve young people die a week from sudden cardiac arrest, yet with quick access to a defibrillator, 80 per cent of them could survive.

“This is why it is so important that we ensure that people have life-saving access to defibrillators across the country and that more people understand the simplicity of how to use them.

“The defibrillator register proposed in my colleague’s bill will ensure that many more people are within close proximity of this life-saving equipment, so that the likelihood of their survival through a cardiac arrest is no longer down to a post-code lottery.

The second reading of the Ten Minute Rule Bill will take place later this month.

THE Bolton News launched their campaign Every School-Leaver a Lifesaver on Valentine's Day in 2013 to promote the teaching of emergency life-saving skills.

The main aim of the campaign is to ensure that all pupils in Bolton know what to do when faced with someone who is suffering a cardiac arrest, choking or bleeding.

Ms Hilling’s ultimate ambition was to see emergency life-saving skills taught across the country as part of the national curriculum.

As well as asking schools to teach life-saving skills The Bolton News also backed the Hearts and Goals campaign, run by Bolton Wanderers, the North West Ambulance Service, Bolton Wanderers Community Trust and the Arrythmia Alliance.

The aim was to get more defibrillators available in public places.

Experts say defibrillators need to be placed strategically in areas where there is a high chance of someone suffering a cardiac arrest and where it is difficult for an ambulance to get to quickly.

Reporters at The Bolton News were trained up in CPR skills with the help of Steve Nicholls from the North West Ambulance Service and Ben Lawton from Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, who both ran Heartstart Training sessions across Bolton, to ensure people knew what to do when faced with an emergency situation and give a person a best chance of survival.

THE sudden collapse of footballer Fabrice Muamba dramatically highlighted the need for people to be trained in lifesaving skills, giving rise to our campaign.

The footballer himself complemented "Every Child a Lifesaver" campaign by leading the Hearts & Goals initiative which aimed to place defibrillators in public places around the country.

His campaign was backed by The Bolton News, and resulted in the lifesaving devices being installed in public places around Bolton.

Fabrice teamed up with the Arrhythmia Alliance, North West Ambulance Service and Bolton Wanderers Community Trust.

Fabrice, who suffered a cardiac arrest in Bolton’s FA Cup clash with Tottenham in March 2012, wanted to create a UK where all communities have public-access defibrillators and training in life-saving skills.

The footballer's heart stopped for 78 minutes after he collapsed on the pitch during an FA Cup tie at White Hart Lane.

The midfield ace received lengthy treatment on the pitch from medics — including a cardiologist who was in the stands — before he was taken to the London Chest Hospital.

Phil Mason, Bolton Wanderers Club Chaplain and Head of Bolton Wanderers Community Trust said: "We are delighted to hear of this important announcement. Following the sudden and shocking collapse of Fabrice Muamba, we as a Club became very aware of the importance of defibrillators and how to administer CPR.

"Through our Hearts and Goals Campaign in the Community Trust, we have campaigned hard for such a national programme to take place. This will go on to save so many lives."