Dr Neil Shastri‑Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West & Shirley and former trauma surgeon, today welcomed representatives from the charity citizenAID to Parliament as part of his continuing campaign to strengthen public resilience and first-response capabilities in the face of life-threatening injuries.
Founded by senior clinicians and military medical experts, citizenAID empowers ordinary members of the public to save lives in the critical moments before emergency services arrive. In 2023, the charity launched its “Stop the Bleed” initiative in Manchester schools, offering practical training to equip students with the skills and confidence to respond effectively to catastrophic bleeding. The programme has since expanded across the West Midlands with the support of the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
With Dr Shastri-Hurst’s backing, citizenAID is now seeking to extend its reach into schools and communities across the UK; ensuring that every city and region benefits from this vital education.
During the parliamentary roundtable, which was attended by a number of parliamentarians, those present discussed how best to embed emergency first aid training within school curriculums. With average ambulance response times now in the region of eight minutes – longer than the time it takes for a casualty to bleed to death – equipping bystanders with the ability to act immediately can be the difference between life and death.
Dr Shastri‑Hurst said:
Throughout my medical career, I witnessed I witnessed first-hand the harrowing impact of knife crime and serious injuries. That experience has left me with a deep conviction: we must do more to empower individuals, particularly young people, with the skills and confidence to save lives in moments of crisis.
I was pleased to welcome citizenAID to Parliament today and am proud to support its mission. Their work reflects the best of British ingenuity and public spirit. I will continue to advocate for its nationwide rollout so that every school and community has access to this essential, life-saving training.
