First Aid Training Courses

There are a wide range of different first aid training courses available nationwide. Delegates can either attend open courses or where there is a requirement for a number of delegates to be trained, there may be a justification for arranging an in-company course. There are also a select number of first aid courses available to take as distance learning (or e-learning) courses.

Which First Aid Course?

Many companies are unsure whether a first aider is required for their organisation, and as a result do not pursue the right first aid training course to meet their requirements. An organisation’s assessment of risk and the range of activities and operations carried out at the organisation will be essential to deciding whether a first aider is required. The HSE provides guidelines for completing your risk assessment, which you can find here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/.

It should be noted that there are additional first aid training requirements associated with specific regulations associated with some industries, for example, offshore installations and pipeline works. You can see the HSE Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (First Aid) Regulations 1989. Approved Code of Practice and guidance here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l123.htm.

First Aid Training Courses Available

With such a large number of first aid courses available, we have broken them down into groups to make the selection easier.

• Emergency & Appointed Person First Aid Courses – For those who need to an Appointed Person to provide first aid in the workplace, or an individual to provide emergency first aid cover
• Mental Health First Aid Courses – This category covers a wide range of mental health first aid courses covering all areas, including managing mental health in the workplace, Dementia awareness and wellbeing
• Paediatric First Aid Courses –Paediatric first aid courses are for those who work with children (such as in a nursery or pre-school environment) or for those who wish to learn more about paediatric first aid in general
• Trauma and Casualty Care First Aid Courses – these are more specialist first aid courses for those who potentially have to administer emergency treatment for life threatening conditions including those in the emergency services, construction and search and rescue teams
• First Aid Annual Skills Update – This is typically a half day first aid course but may be a bit longer and is suitable (and HSE recommended) for all first aiders holding a valid First Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid at Work certificate
• Qualified First Aider at Work Courses – these 3 day first aid courses are suitable for employees in a workplace where one or more trained First Aiders are required. This level of training goes beyond that of the one-day Emergency First Aid course and also covers the requirements of the Appointed Person
• First Aid at Work Requalification Courses – Requalification courses available to renew a delegate’s First Aid at Work certificate

The available course types in this category can be seen in the table below, and First Aid course dates and locations can be seen by clicking the green Dates button at the top of the page. For more general help or further information please click the Enquiry button to send an enquiry. Please click into the specific First Aid categories to drill down if you have more complex requirements.

Related Links

• Distance Learning Courses
• Further HSE legislation info

Commonly Asked Questions

Do I need to Train a First Aider for the Workplace?

For some very small organisations it may be decided that only an Appointed Person is needed but not specifically trained first aiders, and in this case an Appointed Person course might be all that is needed.

In this case, there are two commonly booked first aid courses; the Emergency First Aid at Work Course (EFAW) and the First Aid at Work course (FAW).

• The Emergency First Aid course equips first aiders so that they can give first aid to someone who is injured or ill. This is a one day first aid course and does not go into the same depth as the longer and more comprehensive First Aid at Work course.
• The First Aid at Work course lasts for 3 days and includes the elements of the Emergency First Aid course and also trains the first aider to apply first aid to a number of specific injuries and illnesses. These courses also cover the requirements of the Appointed Person.

How long does a First Aid at Work Certificate last?

3 years from the date the delegate passed the course. First Aid at Work courses last for 3 days.

Do I need to renew my First Aid at Work certificate before it expires?

No, the law changed in 2013 so that this certificate can be renewed no matter when it expired. If there has been a significant amount of time elapsed since the delegate sat the original course, we would however recommend resitting the original full First Aid at Work course, as there may have been a number of changes to relevant legislation in that time and they may not pass the Requalification course if they are not up to date on these changes in full detail.