A statement from St John Ambulance following today’s verdict at the Hillsborough inquest

Sue Killen, CEO at St John Ambulance, said:

‘Our volunteers’ experience at Hillsborough is something that will stay with our organisation forever and our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by what happened on that day.

‘It’s clear from the testimonies that our volunteers acted as best they could under extremely difficult circumstances, and we are grateful to them for all they did on that day, as well as their involvement in the inquest.

‘Health and safety provision, including first aid, has changed dramatically in the years since Hillsborough. There’s much greater recognition for the importance of early CPR and the introduction of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) has had a huge impact on survival. While none of us can change the events on that day, improvements and learnings across the sector have undoubtedly benefitted people who have needed first aid since.’