Compulsory Emergency First Aid Education (State-funded Secondary Schools) Bill

Valerie Vaz Excerpts

Friday 20th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Trevelyan]

I see the education coming from local groups, such as St John Ambulance, supporting local schools through their own fundraising.

I was taught first aid as a girl guide, and I have had cause three times in my life—twice at the scene of a car crash—to help to save lives by applying basic but vital principles to injured people.

[Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab)]

First aid could be taught as part of personal, social, health and economic education, but does the hon. Lady agree that, given the events of 7/7 and 13/11, it is now more important than ever to make sure the whole country knows how to cope in an emergency and can do its civic duty to save lives?

[Mrs Trevelyan]

I agree absolutely. My knowledge of first aid, which I was taught when I was 12, has stuck with and empowered me throughout my life, and I have had need to use it. My first aid education helped me and my fellow girl guides to prepare for life by developing our character and resilience to take on unexpected emergencies with a strength of purpose and enough knowledge to help others, but there are also broader health considerations and areas in which greater first aid knowledge could be of benefit. We all know that our accident and emergency departments are under increasing pressure to treat people.