Doctor pushes for first aid to be taught in Scottish schools
A leading doctor has urged the Scottish government to make first aid training compulsory in all Scottish schools, claiming that it will save lives and drastically reduce waiting times at Accident and Emergency Departments.
Associate specialist in emergency medicine Dr Jennifer Devine, who currently works at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, has said that children should be taught more than just reading, writing and arithmetic at school. She believes that CPR and other life-saving skills should be taught at every level of schooling.
Although anyone at any age can learn life-saving skills by undertaking a first aid training course or a first aid at work course, Dr Devine believes that this knowledge should be learnt at an early age. She says:
“Every day A and E units see dozens of patients who, quite honestly, don’t need to be there. They could save themselves a two-hour wait for nothing more than at most a sticky plaster, if more people knew basic first-aid.
“The best way to ensure this knowledge is out there is to make the teaching of first-aid part of the school curriculum in Scotland so that future generations have skills which could save lives.”