Downloading free app on your phone could help save someone's life
Downloading a free first aid app could help you save someone's life in an emergency. According to the NHS, thousands of people die or are seriously injured in incidents in the UK each year, and many deaths could be prevented by delivering first aid before the emergency services arrive.
Unfortunately, many people are not first-aid trained. However, the British Red Cross offers free first aid training apps that teach potentially life-saving skills. It could make all the difference, with one mum telling how she saved her daughter's life using skills she learned from the app.
As the NHS explains, there are steps that should be followed if someone is injured. First, you should check that you and the injured person aren't in any danger, and, if possible, make the situation safe.
If it's necessary, you should then dial 999 and ask for an ambulance when it's safe to do so and carry out basic first aid. The NHS website offers extensive first aid advice, covering a range of common accidents and emergencies.
There are also many first aid training courses available in the UK. You can start building skills from the comfort of your own home with apps like those offered by the British Red Cross.
The charity's website explains: "The British Red Cross First Aid training apps equip you with simple first aid skills to use during emergencies. Our first aid apps are available for free to download on Android and Apple mobile devices. They provide life-saving advice on first aid scenarios, such as choking, heart attack, seizures, and burns. We have a general first aid app as well as a first aid app specifically for baby and child first aid."
The apps received praise from users. One review on the website reads: "' The British Red Cross first aid app gave me confidence to help save my daughter's life' - Gemma, app user." Another says: 'Really clear instructions, and the videos are excellent. Everyone should download this app. You could save someone's life."
The British Red Cross's general first aid app covers over 20 first aid skills. It has step-by-step guides, videos, and interactive quizzes, and it works without an internet connection.
The British Red Cross's baby and child first aid app covers 17 first aid skills. It has step-by-step skill guides, videos, interactive quizzes, animations, and a toolkit feature to record children's medical needs.
The NHS advises calling 999 for help with life-threatening emergencies like serious road traffic accidents, strokes, and heart attacks. You'll be asked to provide your telephone number, the address you're calling from, and a brief description of what's wrong with the person.
For instance, you'll be asked if they're bleeding, unconscious or not breathing. The call handler may advise you on what you can do until help arrives.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Andrew Flintoff hails NHS staff who cared for him after car crash
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has praised the 'love and compassion' of NHS staff who cared for him after his car crash at a Top Gear test track. The former international cricketer visited hospital workers who looked after him in the aftermath of the accident, which he described as 'the lowest I've ever been'. In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. His surgeon described Flintoff's case as one of the most complex he has ever seen. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George's,' Flintoff said. 'I came here probably the lowest I've ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible. 'I'll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.' Recalling the incident, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq, said: 'I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant. 'A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. 'Of all the trauma cases I've seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.' Shamim Umarji, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, said: 'It's very rewarding when patients come back and you get to see them not just as patients, but as people. It's a real privilege. 'When you see their recovery, you remember how important our job is. 'It was wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost. He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot.' Kate Slemeck, managing director for St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'I'm incredibly proud of the care we provide at St George's. 'It's always heart-warming to hear from patients about the expert care, compassion and kindness they've received from our clinical and support teams, and this shows the lasting impact they have on people, long after they've left hospital.' During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Natasha Asghar on state of health care across Wales
It is clear successive Labour Governments have failed to address the challenges within our health service over the years. If anything, things continue to go from bad to worse under Labour's watch. NHS treatment lists remain shamefully high with just shy of 780,000 patient pathways open – that's the equivalent of nearly one-in-four people. The Welsh Government should hang its head in shame over that statistic. The latest figures show two year waits for treatment are on the up in Wales again to 9,600 whereas across the border in England it's just 171. Just 50 per cent of red calls - the most serious - received an emergency/ambulance response within the eight-minute target time, down on the previous month. We are still nowhere near hitting the target of 95 per cent of patients waiting less than four hours in Welsh A&E departments. That's the grim picture nationally, and locally, I am afraid it is not much better. In my region, we have more than 141,000 patient pathways within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board with 14,716 patients waiting over a year for a first appointment. A staggering 24,666 patients have been waiting longer than a year for treatment in April 2025 – that's nearly one in five patients waiting longer than a year. Not only that, 374 patients were waiting more than two years for treatment in April 2025. The Grange Hospital has 57.5 per cent of patients waiting less than four hours in its emergency department, the fourth worst in Wales. Shockingly, 1,115 patients were waiting more than 12 hours at The Grange in May this year – which works out to be 15 per cent of total patients seen at the department. These aren't just statistics. These are my constituents languishing in pain on a waiting list for treatment. And this is utterly unacceptable. Recently the Welsh Conservatives brought forward a debate urging the Welsh Government to declare a health emergency so all efforts can be directed to driving waiting lessons down. Shockingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, Labour politicians in the Senedd and their Plaid Cymru pals blocked the move. As ever, if there is anything I can do to help going forward, please do not hesitate to get in touch by calling 01633 215138 or email Natasha Asghar is Senedd member for South Wales East.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Former nurse loses legal challenge over registration of private gender clinic
Susan Evans and a mother known as XX took legal action against the Care Quality Commission (CQC) over its decision to register the Gender Plus Hormone Clinic (GPHC) in Birmingham in January last year. The two also challenged the regulator's decision last December to continue the clinic's registration and to allow it to prescribe cross-sex hormone treatment to 16 and 17-year-olds without conditions. The clinic, which was rated outstanding by the watchdog last year, treats people aged 16 and older, including through prescribing gender-affirming – masculinising or feminising – hormones, but, in line with the NHS, does not prescribe puberty blockers. Lawyers for the women told a hearing in June that the CQC had acted 'irrationally' and made decisions that were 'simply not open to it', given the NHS's stance on hormone treatment for children aged 16 and 17 in light of the Cass Review. The CQC and GPHC opposed the challenge, with barristers telling the hearing in London that the legal challenge was 'fatally flawed' and the clinic was found to be 'committed to the safety and best interests of its patients'. In a ruling on Thursday, Mrs Justice Eady dismissed the claim, saying there was 'no irrationality in the decisions reached' and they were within the 'rational range' of options available to the watchdog. Hormone treatment was previously provided on the NHS at the now-closed Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) run by Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, where Ms Evans worked. But a review published by Baroness Cass in April last year said 'extreme caution' should be demonstrated when deciding to prescribe the treatment to 16 and 17-year-olds, and that there should be 'clear clinical rationale for providing hormones at this stage rather than waiting until an individual reaches 18'. The NHS has opened three specialist children's gender clinics and has plans for a further five covering the seven NHS regions in England by the end of 2026, but has said that all recommendations for hormone interventions must be endorsed by a national multi-disciplinary team (MDT). It is understood that the MDT has not yet received any recommendations for hormone treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds since the Cass Review. GPHC was set up by Dr Aidan Kelly and is led by nurse consultant Paul Carruthers, who both worked at Gids, and has previously said it primarily treats patients aged between 16 and 25, using its own MDT. Tom Cross KC, for Ms Evans and XX, said in written submissions that there were 'a number of key differences' between GPHC and NHS safeguards, including that referrals to the former came from Dr Kelly's company, Kelly Psychology, which is unregulated. He said in court that the CQC had 'not factored in' parts of the treatment process on the NHS, which 'serve as important safeguards' and were 'obviously material'. He said consideration of these points would have led to the treatment of under-18s being halted. Jamie Burton KC, for the CQC, said that there was 'ample evidence' that Kelly Psychology 'did not pose an unacceptable risk' to patients, and that a 'significant number' of those assessed by the company were not referred for treatment at GPHC. The court was told that the CQC found no evidence of 'improper decision making or anything that might flag a concern', and that the CQC 'had regard' to NHS processes. Peter Mant KC, for Gender Plus Healthcare Limited, said that there was no legal requirement for a private provider to mirror NHS care and that the clinic's model was 'entirely consistent' with the Cass Review and NHS policy. In a 64-page ruling, Mrs Justice Eady said: 'Accepting that (GPHC) could neither access the NHS national MDT nor precisely replicate it, but keeping in mind the purpose of the NHS model, I cannot say that the CQC's finding of sufficient alignment was outside the reasonable range of conclusions open to it.' She continued: 'The range was set by reference to the substance that underpinned the NHS structures, not merely the choices made as to the form that those structures should take. 'Applying that approach, as I am satisfied the CQC did, the decisions reached fall within the rational range, and the CQC was entitled to conclude that no further conditions were required.' A CQC spokesperson said: 'We are pleased that today's ruling recognises CQC's regulatory expertise. 'It also supports the systems and processes at CQC that put the needs of people using services at their heart and helps to ensure that people receive care and treatment in a safe way.' Dr Kelly said he was 'absolutely delighted' at the judgment, with Mr Carruthers stating that the ruling 'further demonstrates the diligence and integrity of our work'. Ms Evans said she was 'extremely disappointed' by the ruling and believed that the CQC's decision was 'irrational and highly risky', while XX said: 'To say I am disappointed is an understatement.'
