More cardiac training is needed to help save lives. That’s the view of the British Heart Foundation, which says more people need to receive the skills needed to perform CPR and other life-saving techniques.

According to their recent survey of 2,072 adults, 57% would prefer another person to take charge of a medical emergency, 40% did not have the necessary skills and/or knowledge, and 46% thought they would ’cause more harm than good’.

The British Heart Foundation wants CPR training to be made compulsory in secondary schools across the country, for example, and believes that over 5,000 lives a year could be potentially saved if these changes like these were made.

Simon Gillespie, the BHF’s chief executive, said: “Today’s figures are a stark reminder that you’re most likely to witness a loved one suffer a cardiac arrest so it’s imperative that people learn CPR should they be faced with the worst in their own home. Too many lives are lost needlessly because people don’t have the basic CPR skills to act in life-threatening situations.”