Plans for all school children to be taught first aid are welcomed by North Swindon MP

By Ben Fitzgerald - 20 July 2018

Community

The government has put forward proposals for all school children in England to learn first aid. This follows years of campaigning by North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson and the British Heart Foundation.

Justin has campaigned strongly on this issue, leading debates in Parliament, meeting with senior government ministers including Damien Hinds, the Secretary of State for Education who has brought forward the proposals and has even organised first aid lessons for members of the public at his community office in Swindon.

Justin said: “Politics can often be frustrating. Yet it can also present opportunities to bring about real change. When my dad suffered a fatal cardiac arrest, I was 12 and the only person with him. I fumbled around in shock and attempted to give CPR – going off what I had seen on the TV. I had never been taught how to administer CPR and had I been, my dad might still be here today.

"After his death, I vowed to make a difference. Since my election to Parliament in 2010, I have worked with the British Heart Foundation and pushed hard and consistently to campaign for life-saving skills to be taught in schools.

"It has been a long process, but I and my fellow campaigners were determined not to give up. With fewer than 1 in 10 people surviving a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, we knew that we were literally campaigning to save lives.

"I am therefore delighted that Damien Hinds has brought forward draft legislation to teach primary school children first aid. This is a huge step forward in our fight to create a nation of life-savers. Whilst I wasn’t able to save my dad all those years ago, I am so pleased that the next generation of young people will be equipped with the skills that I didn’t learn.”

 

Your Comments

Be the first to comment on this article

Login or Register to post a comment on this article

Subscribe to The Link

Registered in England & Wales. No: 4513027, Positive Media Group, Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon, SN1 4BJ