A BID to see all UK schools fitted with life-saving equipment to stop up to 12 children a week dying needlessly has been snubbed by the government.
The plea made by the Oliver King (OK) Foundation ? set up by the family of the 12-year-old Liverpool schoolboy who died of sudden cardiac arrest in a school swimming pool in Childwall last year ? was that the coalition consider introducing defibrillator machines in all public buildings in the UK.
Costs could be as low as ?20m.
But after an agonising four week delay in receiving a response to their e-petition, the Foundation ? backed by the ECHO?s Heartbeat campaign ? was left distraught by the knock-back.
Instead of investing in the life-saving technology the government has passed the buck to the Ambulance Service.
But the OK Foundation said it was only the government that could introduce legislation to make it compulsory for all public buildings to have the equipment.
In a statement from the Foundation, Oliver?s parents Mark and Joanne, said: ?We are bitterly disappointed by the government response.
?We feel they have just paid us lip service and have not acknowledged the strength of the public feeling regarding this matter.
?We can?t understand how even with the backing of professionals including Liverpool Primary headteachers, Liverpool PCT, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and a major premiership football club?s medical doctor, LFC?s Dr Zafar Iqbal, the government can possibly ignore the reason we need legislation.?
The government response, which was guaranteed because the foundation?s e-petition had reached more than 10,000 signatures, stated it ?appreciates how devastating this issue is for all families and friends who are affected?.
But it goes on to state that ?since February 2007, responsibility for continuing the legacy of the National Defibrillator Programme was devolved to ambulance trusts?.
OK Foundation patron Liverpool Cllr Jake Morrison said: ?Maybe, wrongly, I expected better from the government. But it seems they just haven?t answered the e-petition properly.
?We are campaigning to save lives here. We have now been left with 79 days to gather 78,000 more signatures for our e-petition to trigger a debate in the House of Commons.?
Go to theoliverkingfoundation.co.uk to sign the e-petition now.
The plea made by the Oliver King (OK) Foundation ? set up by the family of the 12-year-old Liverpool schoolboy who died of sudden cardiac arrest in a school swimming pool in Childwall last year ? was that the coalition consider introducing defibrillator machines in all public buildings in the UK.
Costs could be as low as ?20m.
But after an agonising four week delay in receiving a response to their e-petition, the Foundation ? backed by the ECHO?s Heartbeat campaign ? was left distraught by the knock-back.
Instead of investing in the life-saving technology the government has passed the buck to the Ambulance Service.
But the OK Foundation said it was only the government that could introduce legislation to make it compulsory for all public buildings to have the equipment.
In a statement from the Foundation, Oliver?s parents Mark and Joanne, said: ?We are bitterly disappointed by the government response.
?We feel they have just paid us lip service and have not acknowledged the strength of the public feeling regarding this matter.
?We can?t understand how even with the backing of professionals including Liverpool Primary headteachers, Liverpool PCT, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and a major premiership football club?s medical doctor, LFC?s Dr Zafar Iqbal, the government can possibly ignore the reason we need legislation.?
The government response, which was guaranteed because the foundation?s e-petition had reached more than 10,000 signatures, stated it ?appreciates how devastating this issue is for all families and friends who are affected?.
But it goes on to state that ?since February 2007, responsibility for continuing the legacy of the National Defibrillator Programme was devolved to ambulance trusts?.
OK Foundation patron Liverpool Cllr Jake Morrison said: ?Maybe, wrongly, I expected better from the government. But it seems they just haven?t answered the e-petition properly.
?We are campaigning to save lives here. We have now been left with 79 days to gather 78,000 more signatures for our e-petition to trigger a debate in the House of Commons.?
Go to theoliverkingfoundation.co.uk to sign the e-petition now.
, his mates put him on a pallet, left him to it.
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