School children taught lifesaving resuscitation skills by hospital staff

Lifesaving skills to give the best chance of survival to people suffering a sudden cardiac arrest are being taught to children aged seven to 11 across Medway and Swale.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust’s Resuscitation Service Team visited Deanwood Primary School, in Long Catlis Road, Parkwood, on Monday (16 October), which was Restart A Heart Day, to teach pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The sessions, which have been delivered by the team across Medway and Swale since 2016 to schools and clubs – such as football and swimming clubs – are designed to be fun and interactive while providing children and young people with vital resuscitation skills that could help to save a person’s life.

Cameron Clark, a Year 5 pupil at Deanwood Primary School, said: “I think the session was really useful because it’s a life skill that can help people and save their life.

“If your parents or friends collapse and you’ve learnt CPR it means you can do it straight away.”

Lizzie Russell, Assistant Head Teacher at Deanwood Primary School, said: “The Resuscitation Service Team taught our children how to identify when CPR may be needed, how to call for an adult and use 999 when appropriate, and how to start CPR if it is safe to do so.

“The children that attended the session were Key Stage 2 pupils, so aged seven to 11. It’s a really valuable skill to learn and we think it is the right age group to teach them as they’re old enough to be aware of how and when they may need to use CPR.”