Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the role of first aid in (a) public health prevention strategies, (b) reducing the number of deaths, injuries and disabilities and (c) reducing pressures on A&E and other emergency services.

It is recognised the timely application of first aid can help minimise the impact of injuries, and of health conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

The NHS Choices website contains information for the public on first aid responses to various injuries and health incidents. In addition, the Government has made £1 million available this year to make public access to defibrillators more widely available, with the aim of improving survival from out of hospital cardiac arrests. The Public Health England Act Fast campaign also aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of stroke, teach people what to look out for in themselves and others, and encourage those who notice the symptoms to call 999.