St John Ambulance adopts our seizure first aid messaging – Calm, Cushion, Call

The Epilepsy Society is pleased to announce it is partnering with St John Ambulance to make sure everyone knows how to help someone who is having an epileptic seizure.

Research by St John Ambulance has shown that just 29 per cent of people feel very confident of using first aid skills in an emergency. And on World First Aid Day – 9 September 2023 – it is encouraging people to learn new, simple life-saving skills including how to support someone who is having a seizure.

The health and first aid organisation is adopting the Epilepsy Society’s simple seizure first aid messaging – Calm, Cushion, Call – as part of its national training and hopes that the three easy-to-remember words will give members of the public the confidence to help someone who is having a seizure.

St John Ambulance back Calm, Cushion, Call

Dr Lynn Thomas, Medical Director at St John Ambulance, said: “We very much like the simplicity of the Epilepsy Society’s ‘Calm, Cushion, Call’ seizure first aid. This simple message tells you exactly what to do – stay calm, cushion the person’s head and call for an ambulance.”

Nicola Swanborough, Head of External Affairs at the Epilepsy Society, said: “First aid is always about two people, the person with the medical emergency and the person who is first on the scene. If a member of the public sees a person lying on the pavement, shaking, they may not know that the person is having a seizure, and they won’t know their medical history. But they will want to help and do the right thing for that person. 

“As long as they stay calm, cushion the person’s head to stop them injuring themselves, and dial 999, then the ambulance staff will be able to talk them through the next steps.”

MPs to learn seizure first aid

On 13 September 2023, the Epilepsy Society will be holding a special ‘Calm, Cushion, Call’ first aid event in parliament  to teach MPs and peers how to help someone who is having a seizure.

The event will be held in Room S, Portcullis House, Westminster from 5-6.30pm. Do encourage your MP to come along and find out how they could save a life.

To find out more about helping someone who is having a seizure, go to https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/ccc