Due diligence: The importance of choosing the right first aid training provider.
The regulation changes allow employers greater freedom in choosing a training provider and qualifications to meet their identified first aid needs. Employers must be satisfied that their training provider is competent in first aid and has the necessary quality assurance processes in place. The HSE acknowledges that St John Ambulance works to similar principles of assessment and employs a similar hierarchy of policies and processes to awarding organisations who offer regulated qualifications.
The workplace first aid regulations in Northern Ireland are different to those in England, Wales and Scotland. You need to ensure that you use an HSENI approved training provider for your workplace first aid courses.
What should due diligence of a training provider include?
Does St John Ambulance meet this requirement?
Do the trainers and assessors have a current First aid at work certificate or qualify for an exemption?
All our first aid trainers are First aid at work qualified.
Do the trainers have an appropriate training qualification?
All our trainers are qualified in a level 3 recognised training qualification.
Do the assessors have an appropriate assessing qualification?
St John Ambulance assessors are all qualified in a level 3 recognised assessing qualification.
Does the training provider have a documented quality assurance plan designating an individual to take responsibility for quality assurance and including at least annual assessment of the performance of trainers and assessors?
St John Ambulance has a stringent and robust quality assurance process documented and in place.
Does the designated quality assurance person have a current First aid at work certificate or qualify for an exemption?
Our Quality Assurance personnel are all First aid at work qualified.
Does the designated person have an assessing/verifying qualification?
Our Quality Assurance personnel are qualified in a level 4 recognised quality assurance qualification.
A rigorous procedure is documented and available on request.
We take complaints very seriously. Our procedure is available for all customers to see.
Is First aid at work or Emergency first aid at work taught in accordance with current guidelines published by the Resuscitation Council (UK), and for other aspects of first aid, in accordance with current guidelines published by the Voluntary Aid Societies (eg. St John Ambulance) or other published guidelines that are supported by a responsible body of medical opinion.
The HSE recognises that St John Ambulance along with our fellow voluntary aid societies are the standard setters for workplace first aid protocols which we publish in the First Aid Manual.
We will work with you, as required, to ensure that the training we provide meets all your identified first aid needs.
For the First aid at work course, does the syllabus include all the required topics set by the HSE and does the course last at least 18 training and assessment contact hours, over three days?
Details of our First aid at work course are here.
For the First aid at work requalification course, does the syllabus include all the required topics set by the HSE and does the course last at least 12 training and assessment contact hours, over two days?
Details of our First aid at work requalification course are here.
For the Emergency first aid at work course, does the syllabus include all the required topics set by the HSE and does the course last at least six training and assessment contact hours, over one day?
Details of our Emergency first aid at work course are here.
the name of the training organisation?
the title of the qualification?
reference to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981?
confirmation the certificate is valid for three years?
If training is neither First aid at work or Emergency first aid at work, the certificate should also list the learning outcomes of the syllabus on which candidates have been assessed.
Our certificates meet all the requirements as set by the HSE guidance to the regulations.
If you're training with St John Ambulance then you're in safe hands. We are the UK's leading first aid organisation and teach more people from more businesses and organisations than any other provider. Our training services will always meet the standards you need to satisfy your legal requirements for first aid provision.