Life-saving Skills in Schools Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Life-saving Skills in Schools

Fiona Bruce Excerpts
Thursday 22nd November 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Anne Marie Morris Portrait Anne Marie Morris
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That is a wonderful example of what can be done. There is often a sense that this issue applies only to older children, but younger children can also learn valuable skills.

Fiona Bruce Portrait Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)
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I commend my hon. Friend on securing the debate. Does she agree that if we educate pupils, they in turn can educate their parents? A school in Cheshire teaches emergency life support, and I understand that a parent of one of its pupils was able to administer the appropriate action when confronted with someone choking in a restaurant.

Anne Marie Morris Portrait Anne Marie Morris
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That is an excellent example and I thank my hon. Friend for her contribution.

If we look across the world, the UK does not find itself in a happy, comparable position in terms of the teaching of ELS and survival rates. Our survival rate following a cardiac arrest is pretty poor and quite variable—it depends on where someone is in the country. The survival rate for those who suffer an arrest is between 2% and 12% after they leave hospital. The British Heart Foundation estimates that 75% of people are untrained. That means that only 25% of the population have some training and the number of people in our community who are able to help is very small.