In Prime Minister’s Questions today, the Prime Minister expressed his support for Rob Roberts MP’s campaign to ensure that the teaching of the lifesaving skill of CPR is made compulsory in all Welsh secondary schools.
After meeting with the family and friends of Janene Maguire, who sadly passed away in February 2000 after having a cardiac arrest, Rob was glad to work with them to launch a national campaign calling for the teaching of CPR and other lifesaving skills in all Welsh secondary schools – just as it is in England and Scotland.
Despite this campaign and a letter backed by Welsh Conservative colleagues from both Westminster and the Senedd calling on the Welsh Education Minister to make the teaching of CPR compulsory in Wales, the Welsh Education Minister has not made any steps to make this change – putting pupils in Wales at a disadvantage compared to their peers in England and Scotland.
Now that the Prime Minister has stated the urgency of this being adopted in Wales, it is hoped that the Welsh Government will finally take note of this incredibly important campaign, and ensure that the CPR is taught in all Welsh secondary schools so that in the future this knowledge can be used to save lives.
Rob said:
“I am pleased that the Prime Minister supports the vital lifesaving skill of CPR being taught to school children in Wales.
“The Welsh Government now need to follow the precedent set by the UK Government so that families who experience cardiac arrests no longer have to suffer such tragic circumstances.”
After launching this campaign, Rob has been in contact with Welsh Hearts Charity, who have long campaigned on this issue, to try and spread the message and increase the levels of support.
Commenting on the campaign, Sharon Owen, Fundraising Director at Welsh Hearts, said:
“Welsh Hearts believes that all schools in Wales should make CPR training mandatory for students – as more and more adolescents are becoming victims of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, especially during sporting events.
“Hundreds of lives could be saved in Wales each year if students were taught CPR from a young age, so CPR needs to be learnt universally to significantly improve survival rates and to avoid inequalities between communities by ensuring there are lifesavers on every street corner, in schools and every workplace.”
For more information about the campaign, click here.