EDM 383: Work of St John Ambulance

That this House recognises the lifesaving work of St John Ambulance volunteers across the country, training 250,000 members of the public in first aid every year, providing event first aid cover at 11,000 events and delivering 4,000 hours of emergency support to the NHS per month as the nation’s ambulance auxiliary; acknowledges that 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests take place every year in the UK with less than 1 in 10 people surviving and immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and that defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival; is concerned by the findings of St John Ambulance’s recent survey that revealed 49% of the public would feel panicked if they came across a health emergency, with one in three members of the public afraid to give CPR to women due to fear of inappropriate touching; thanks the work of St John Ambulance volunteers, first aid charities and NHS Ambulance services in providing physical and mental health first aid training in communities to improve first aid confidence; and encourages the Government to support first aid education and volunteers as part of the NHS-10-Year Plan to tackle health inequalities, improve health outcomes and save lives.