News
Welcome to the Surrey First Aid Training news page. Here you will be able to find everything you need to know about the recent First Aid regulation updates and any other helpful information from the health and safety industry. We produce regular industry news updates. We hope you find them useful.
A first aid instructor thanks paramedics who saved his life
A first aid instructor from Kent has thanked the paramedics who saved his life after he suffered a heart attack.
Michael, from Ramsgate, called for an ambulance on 24 March after experiencing restlessness and aching in his jaw and teeth the previous evening. Although he teaches first aid, he said the symptoms did not immediately suggest he was having a heart attack.
His decision to seek medical help proved vital, revealing a serious and potentially life-threatening heart condition that paramedics from South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) were able to begin treating on the way to William Harvey Hospital.
March 2026 news: Allergy pens must be stocked by schools
Schools will be required to stock life-saving allergy pens for the first time under new measures announced today (5 March 2026).
The plans also introduce mandatory allergy training for teachers and require every school to implement a dedicated allergy policy.
In addition to helping protect children from serious allergic reactions, the measures aim to reduce disruption to education. Allergy-related illnesses and medical appointments resulted in more than 500,000 lost school days over the past year.
The reforms follow calls from families and campaigners advocating for stronger allergy safeguards in schools, including Helen Blythe, whose son Benedict Blythe tragically died following an allergic reaction at school, and the National Allergy Strategy Group.
Read full article here: Stronger protections for children with allergies in school - GOV.UK
UK Driving Theory Tests now include enhanced CPR and defibrillator questions
In the UK, the government are now including enhanced CPR and defibrillator questions in driving theory tests to help improve survival rates from cardiac arrest. The change is designed to increase public confidence in emergency response skills.
Since 2026, Driving theory tests include enhanced first aid questions, building on existing first aid content that has been part of driver education for years.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has expanded the theory test question bank to include enhanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) content, and questions about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the first time.
The move aims to address the UK’s low cardiac arrest survival rates by making sure more people know how to respond in emergencies.
Read from GOV.UK here: New theory test questions aim to boost cardiac arrest survival rate - GOV.UK
Guideline recommends moving away from the 'traditional' blue inhaler
The change follows a landmark guideline published jointly in 2024 by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British Thoracic Society (BTS), and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
For decades, the familiar blue inhaler has been a vital treatment for millions of people living with asthma. However, clinicians now recognise that relying on it too heavily can actually worsen the condition, and a major shift in asthma care is already improving outcomes for patients.
The guideline recommends moving away from the traditional blue inhaler — medically known as a short-acting beta2 agonist (SABA) — and towards combination inhalers that not only relieve symptoms but also treat the underlying inflammation responsible for asthma attacks.
According to specialists, the issue with SABA inhalers is that they can temporarily mask symptoms without addressing the root cause. Excessive use has been associated with an increased risk of asthma attacks, hospital admissions, and even death. In England, almost half (48%) of people prescribed blue inhalers in 2024–25 received more than two inhalers during the year — a level regarded by experts as a warning sign of poor asthma control.
With well-controlled asthma, patients should experience few or no symptoms and only rarely need to use a reliever inhaler.
EURneffy® nasal adrenaline spray approved by MHRA
First needle-free option for anaphylaxis treatment in the UK: Anaphylaxis UK
Needle-Free Adrenaline Nasal Spray Approved for use in the UK
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given the green light to EURneffy® — the UK’s first adrenaline nasal spray designed for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis in adults and children weighing 30kg or more. This innovative, needle-free option is expected to be introduced by the end of 2025, offering a new way for people at risk of severe allergic reactions to carry life-saving medication.
Resuscitation Council UK – 2025 Guidelines Changes
The Resuscitation Council UK have now released the 2025 Resuscitation and First Aid Guidelines, which set the standards and protocols for all First Aid training.
A Summary of the Changes can be viewed here: Executive summary of the main changes since the 2021 Guidelines | Resuscitation Council UK
Full 2025 Guidelines available to view here: 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines | Resuscitation Council UK