Teachers Must Be Trained To Use Defibrillators To Keep Our Children Safe | Letter

Children crossed England are preparing to return to schoolhouse this week pursuing nan summertime break, but parents should beryllium concerned for their information and wellbeing while they are successful school.

After years of campaigning aft nan tragic decease of my boy Oliver to abrupt cardiac arrest, I powerfully welcomed nan committedness fixed by nan erstwhile authorities to guarantee that each state-funded schools crossed England received life-saving defibrillators. The rollout of nan programme was important and marked a elephantine measurement guardant successful improving emergency aesculapian readiness, and perchance redeeming lives successful schools crossed England.

Now I americium urging nan existent Labour authorities to spell a measurement further by ensuring that each schoolhouse unit person due and up-to-date training connected really to usage defibrillators confidently and effectively. Through our activity astatine nan Oliver King Foundation, we person heard first-hand from headteachers and school unit crossed nan state that this life-saving instrumentality is not being utilized and alternatively being stored successful cupboards because nan training connected really to usage it has not been provided.

The beingness of defibrillators successful schools unsocial is not going to lick nan problem. Providing capable training is important arsenic a intends of maximising nan valuable finance made by nan erstwhile authorities and successful ensuring that each child, coach and visitant successful our schools is arsenic safe arsenic imaginable successful nan arena of a cardiac emergency. Failure to supply this training is putting lives needlessly astatine risk.

Cardiac conditions specified arsenic abrupt arrhythmic decease syndrome (Sads) termination 12 young group nether nan property of 35 each azygous week successful nan UK. The request to guarantee our schools are prepared to woody pinch unexpected emergencies specified arsenic cardiac apprehension could not beryllium clearer.

This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of safeguarding nan wellness and lives of our children. Regardless of governmental affiliation, we tin each work together that schools should beryllium safe spaces wherever teachers are equipped to respond efficaciously successful emergencies. Training is simply a commonsense solution that transcends governmental lines and reflects a shared committedness to nan wellbeing of each kid successful England. As nan caller schoolhouse twelvemonth approaches, I americium urging nan authorities to enactment quickly.
Mark King
The Oliver King Foundation