Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has joined colleagues from across the UK to receive a hands-on first aid lesson in Westminster, as public support grows for the teaching of lifesaving skills to be made compulsory in schools.

A recent parliamentary reception gave MPs the opportunity to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to treat choking, burns and bleeding.

The event was held as part of the Every Child a Lifesaver campaign – an initiative launched by St John Ambulance, the British Heart Foundation, and the British Red Cross to gain backing for the Emergency First Aid Education Bill.

The Bill will have its second reading in Parliament on 20th November and hundreds of members of the public across the North East have been contacting their MPs asking them to support the Bill and attend the vote.

Catherine commented:

‘We all like to think that if we ever needed emergency first aid, someone would be on hand to provide it – but that’s sadly not the case for too many people.

‘It’s just common-sense that all young people should be trained in basic life saving skills and where better to do this than at school?’

What is emergency first aid?

The Emergency First Aid 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.

Research developed by the charities involved in the Every Child a Lifesaver campaign shows that:

• 85% of adults agree that first aid should be a compulsory part of the national curriculum
• 84% of secondary school teachers agree that first aid should be taught on the school curriculum
• 95% of parents agree that first aid should be taught at secondary school
• 97% of 11-16 year olds agree they should be taught first aid, saying it should definitely or probably be taught at secondary school.

However, 57% of teachers say they believe it would take first aid training to be a requirement in order for more schools to take it seriously as only 24% of schools currently teach it.