This factsheet is for people who would like information about preparing and storing first aid kits for use at home.

Well over two million people attend accident and emergency departments each year after an injury at home. People who have fallen over in the home make up over one million of these visits. Over 200,000 people had an accident while doing DIY. Burns, collisions and poisoning are also common causes of injury.

Preventing injuries is obviously better than curing them, so being aware of hazards, and taking sensible precautions against them, is a priority. But, in the event of an accident, you can use a first aid kit at home to deal with minor injuries, or to keep a serious injury stable while you seek help.

What should I include in a first aid kit for the home?

The following list can be used as a shopping list. The quantity of each item is a guide only – the amount of each item you have will depend on the number of people in your home and the activities that you do at home.

Essential Items

The items that you should ideally have in your first aid kit include:

• first aid manual
• 12 to 24 individually-wrapped plasters in various sizes (fabric or waterproof)
• sterile dressings, such as Melolin (for covering a wound): six medium (12cm x 12cm) and two large (18cm x 18cm)
• adhesive tape, such as Micropore (to hold dressings in place; it can also be used on its own on small cuts and grazes)
• six triangular bandages (for use as a sling to support an injured arm or shoulder)
• safety pins in a variety of sizes (for securing bandages)
• two crêpe bandages (to support sprains and strains, or to hold dressings in place)
• tubular bandage
• sterile non-fluffy, absorbent gauze (for cleaning and drying wounds and also for covering wounds)
• round-ended scissors (for cutting tape or bandages)
• tweezers (for removing objects such as splinters)
• vinyl gloves
• antiseptic wipes (alcohol free)
• emergency foil blanket
• note pad and pencil
• eyewash solution
• a thermometer (preferably digital and not one containing mercury as this can be a hazard if damaged)4
• torch
  

  
  Optional Extras
  

  
  Extra items that you may like to have in your first aid kit include:
  

  
  

• sterile eye pads (a large wound dressing can be used instead to cover an eye)
• skin closure strips (for holding the edges of a wound together)
• sterile saline sachets (for cleaning a wound) – but clean water will