09/03/2026
Such great news for the borough.
Well done Scott.
Today, Scott met with Lisa from Public Health at Rochdale Borough Councill following recent contact with the charity regarding a community defibrillator in Milnrow that had been identified as not being accessible when it was needed.
Might we add, the enthusiasm Lisa has about all of this is heart warming. She used to work so close to Rob the CFR back in 2017 who help her dealing with it all.
A number of years ago, Rochdale Council received national recognition for the fantastic campaigns they ran around community defibrillators. Like many organisations though, as teams and priorities change over time, some of that momentum can unfortunately slow.
Following our initial discussions with the council, work has already started behind the scenes to map out where their defibrillators are located across the borough, identify units that are out of date, and highlight those that need maintenance or replacement.
Today’s meeting was a really positive step forward. Scott and Lisa spent time discussing current best practice, how things have evolved over the years, and how we can start to shape a practical plan moving forward.
Of course, there are a number of things to consider.
💙 Budgets need to be reviewed
⚡ Locations need assessing to ensure the best coverage
🩸 Different departments and partners need to be involved
This will take a little time, but the direction of travel is clear.
With Defibrillators Save Lives advising and supporting the council, the aim is to begin bringing defibrillators and emergency bleed kits back online across the borough. Alongside this, there will be renewed campaigns encouraging businesses, organisations and private guardians to review their own responsibilities in maintaining accessible, working equipment. Schools will also play a role through awareness shared in newsletters and community engagement.
There’s a lot of work ahead, but today’s meeting showed real intent.
Big things are starting to move at Rochdale Council, and Defibrillators Save Lives are proud to be supporting, advising and campaigning to help make these life-saving changes happen across the borough.
