Cardiac arrest survivor calls for more R training

A West Sussex student who survived a cardiac arrest while in class has backed a campaign calling for more monitoring of R training at schools.

More than a third (38%) of students said they left school without receiving R training, according to research commissioned by charity Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK).

Goring resident Sam Mangoro, who had a cardiac arrest at school in 2014, said he found the results "shocking".

The Department for Education (DfE) said: "Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, which is why schools are required to teach first aid as part of the curriculum, and we have provided a defibrillator to every school in England."

Mr Mangoro, who is now 27, received R during the PE lesson and was shocked by a defibrillator four times.

He said the current lack of R training was disappointing.

"I just don't understand the justification for not doing it to be honest, it's so easy to arrange," he said.

"If you attempt it then you can only improve the situation."

In 2019, policies were introduced to ensure R was taught in secondary schools, but RCUK said there was no structured way to keep track of training.

"Without proper monitoring and , too many students are leaving school without learning how to save a life," a charity spokesperson said.

Research by RCUK, which said early R could double the chances of survival from a cardiac arrest, also found that 70% of those trained felt confident to use it in an emergency.

The government's statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance is under review and the DfE said it would carefully consider consultation responses.

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