Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed and member of the All-Party Parliamentary First Aid group, is backing a new campaign to make first aid compulsory in all state-funded secondary schools. The ‘Every Child a Lifesaver’ campaign is organised by St John Ambulance, the British Red Cross and the British Heart Foundation and runs in conjunction with a Bill before Parliament to be debated on 20th November.
The Bill, tabled by Teresa Pearce MP, will require secondary schools to give young people the skills and confidence to deal with a range of medical emergencies including cardiac arrests, heart attacks, choking, bleeding, asthma attacks, and seizures. Importantly, emergency first aid education ensures that pupils know to seek help and support when needed, including from the emergency services. The Bill also recognises the emotional needs of people that step in to help in a medical emergency - it prepares young people to deal with situations where their interventions may not have saved a life.
Anne-Marie said: “Being able to provide emergency first aid can make the difference between life and death, and is so important, especially in our rural communities in Northumberland where it could take longer for emergency services to arrive on scene. Giving school children the skills and confidence needed to help others. I will be supporting the Bill when it comes to Parliament next month.”
Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said:
“The survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrests in the UK is shockingly low compared to other countries where CPR is widely taught. Our MPs and Government now have the opportunity to take responsibility for addressing this needless loss of life. By supporting this Bill they can make life saving skills a mandatory part of every young person’s education and help save more lives.”
The campaign was launched in Parliament on 16 September and the charities hope that people will call on their MPs to support the bill’s second reading on 20 November. To learn more about the campaign click HERE.