The first person there is rarely a medic.

Most emergencies are first met by an ordinary person rather than a medic, whether at work, at school or at home. This foundation programme gives that person the confidence to assess what has happened and act on it.

Theory is combined with hands-on practice, because equipment on its own treats nobody. A well-stocked first aid kit beside someone who cannot open an airway or recognise a cardiac arrest changes very little; a trained person is what makes it useful.