My grandad, who suffers with Parkinson’s Disease, nearly died after he choked on his food in a pub on Sunday 24th May. There were no first aid trained staff present at the time, but a brave and quick-thinking member of the public stepped in and saved his life. This was a highly upsetting and traumatic experience for our family and something that has caused us a lot of shock. 

My grandad has been fully reviewed and it has been deemed as a 'freak accident' rather than a deterioration of his swallow with Parkinson's Disease.  This really just highlights how ANYONE can choke and I am sure we all would want there to be help available whilst waiting for emergency services in such a critical emergency.

This terrifying experience has opened our eyes to the urgent need for change in our pubs and restaurants as it is currently only strongly recommended that there are first aid trained staff present. Ensuring the presence of a first aid trained individual at all times in these venues could genuinely be the difference between life and death. Choking has a very narrow window between life and death, if a person is choking for 3-5 minutes, there is a very high chance of cardiac arrest and after roughly 6 minutes, there is a high chance of brain damage due to hypoxia. These figures make immediate action vital.

Research from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) highlights that approximately 92% of people attending first aid and basic life support courses in the UK find the training useful and beneficial. Moreover, reports indicate that food-related choking is a significant cause of accidents in social venues, leading to numerous injuries and fatalities every year. Choking is not the only medical emergency that can take in a pub, anaphylaxis which can also lead to death may also occur.

By mandating that at least one staff member in every pub and restaurant be first aid /basic life support trained , we can create a protective environment where immediate help is always available. This policy could be implemented through government legislation requiring all hospitality businesses to ensure their staff are appropriately trained and certified in first aid/basic life support.

Such a change is feasible and impactful. First aid/basic life support training courses are readily available nationwide and are designed to be accessible without disrupting businesses' operational demands. The investment in training will lead to safer environments for employees and patrons alike, safeguarding lives and reducing emergency incidents.

I urge policymakers to take swift action in implementing this essential rule. We owe it to our loved ones and our communities to ensure their safety and well-being when they choose to visit pubs and restaurants.

The government have said I need 10k signatures to get a response from them and 100k signatures to get this discussed in parliament. 

Please sign this petition to demand that the government implement legislation requiring first aid/basic life support trained staff in all pubs and restaurants, ensuring no family has to endure what ours did.