School Management Teams take place of first aiders when there are none - Evarist Bartolo
In the schools where there are no first aiders, the School Management Team assists in medical emergencies, according the Minister for Education Evarist Bartolo.
Minister Bartolo was contacted by The Malta Independent after a serious lack of first aiders in state schools became apparent through information tabled in Parliament some days back. The information showed that 18 of the schools listed did not have any official First Aiders. Eight out of these 18 schools were primary schools.
Replying to questions, Minister Bartolo elaborated that in cases where an emergency occurs in a school that has no first aiders, the ‘School Management Team’ assists by “seeing to what is needed, advising parents regarding the situation and calling an ambulance for assistance.”
When asked whether there is a regulation which is guarding schools regarding the number of first aiders needed to be on site, Mr Bartolo said that “schools are to have two official first aiders.”
This newspaper asked Minister Bartolo whether, in those schools were there are no first aiders, a medical professional (such as a nurse or doctor) is present. Minister Bartolo replied stating that the services of a nurse are present in resource centres. Out of the 18 state schools listed with no first aiders, there is one resource centre.
In an interview with The Malta Independent last week, the Director General of Malta Red Cross, Paulette Fenech, stated that first aid “may be crucial in saving a life,” and emphasised the importance that an employer should make sure that access to first aiders in a workplace is constant. ‘First aider’ refers to a person who has received training and holds a valid certification attesting qualification issued by a first aid trainer.
“Training is given in First Aid, Basic Life Support and Administration of Epipen and other medicine to the official first aiders. Educators, as well as administrative, clerical and technical staff are invited to apply to serve as school first aiders,” said the Minister. “Year 10 and Year 11 students are being trained in First Aid and Basic Life Support including choking, on a yearly basis. First Aid courses are also offered as inset courses to teachers and LSA’s, increasing the number of persons who can administer First Aid if such cases arise,” he elaborated.
Despite the attended First Aid Course offered by the Government, which takes place yearly in July and September, according to the table presented in Parliament, some schools still do not have first aiders.
“I am told that people do not become first aiders, not because they do not want to help others, but because apparently, if you are a First Aider in Malta, legally you are not covered if something goes wrong,” the Education Minister said.
However, the reason as to why independent schools have many more first aiders than state schools remains unclear.
The table presented in Parliament shows that within the 109 state schools, there are 152 trained First Aiders, whilst in the 10 Independent schools, there are 157. Furthermore, in 24 Church schools there are 48 trained First Aiders. On average, state schools have one or two First Aiders, with one school having four First Aiders and 18 listed as not having any.
Furthermore, the concept and practice of teaching First Aid to students as well as teachers is one which is shared and being implemented by the Education Ministry and Malta Red Cross. Minister Bartolo has also expressed wishes for the ‘next step’ to be Mental Health First Aid.