First Aid at Work Annual Refresher / Update Courses

The "First Aid at Work Annual Refresher" course will give learners evidence of continual professional development (CPD), and confidence and practice in the emergency life-saving techniques that are required in those first few minutes before professional help arrives.

These courses were officially introduced by the HSE with amendments to the first aid regulations in 2009, and they strongly recommend all qualified first aiders attend these annual updates between their re-qualifications in order to prevent skills fade and introduce any changes in legislation/protocols since their last first aid course. The courses are not intended to teach first aid, but to allow practice and updating under supervision, and so learners attending these courses should have attended a suitable first aid course previously. The HSE specifies the minimum content of the refresher course, but at RescueSkills we normally make the sessions very practical based around role-play scenarios, and may incorporate other conditions into the session to keep learners brains engaged! Most learners that have attended these sessions have thoroughly enjoyed them, and have felt better prepared for re-qualifying when it needed. As a trainer/assessor it is normally quite apparent during re-qualification courses who has or has not attended such sessions by the difference in their ability to remember what they should be doing with a casualty.

We first started delivering these courses before they were made an official recommendation, whilst with a leading national first aid training organisation. Not many courses were made available because attendance was an exception rather than the norm. Since 2009 we have seen attendances on these courses increase dramatically. Some persuasion was needed initially in the form of special offers on prices, but almost without exception the attending learners said they benefited massively from attending. Nowadays, those not attending are in the minority.

What happens if I don't attend a refresher?

It is not mandatory to attend an annual refresher - merely a strong recommendation from the HSE. Legislation and protocols do change though, and it is your duty and responsibility as a first aider to keep up to date. Should an incident occur that is then investigated, or ends up in the courtroom for whatever reason, and it could be proven that your failure to keep up with current practice was contributory it could prove costly in fines and enforcement action.

Don't let yourself or your employers down - ensure you are updating regularly - book a refresher with RescueSkills!

Course contents

The First Aid at Work Annual Refresher course covers (as a minimum):

• Updates the first aider needs to be familiar with
• How to prioritise patients (primary and secondary survey)
• Unresponsive, non-breathing adults (CPR)
• Unresponsive, breathing adults (Recovery position)
• Serious cuts/bleeding
• Clinical shock (blood volume loss)

Course duration

3 hours tuition time (minimum) not including breaks (3 guided learning hours), typically over 1/2 day.

Certification

Certificates of competence will be issued following successful completion of this course by the learners. Assessment of the learners skills will be by continuous assessment by the trainer/assessor.

Certificates are valid for 1 year. (Two of these courses should be attended following a First Aid at Work course, and then on the third year, a full re-qualification undertaken). Please note that in order to be awarded a certificate of competence in this course, learners must be able to demonstrate that they are able to perform the relevant skills - it remains the employers responsibility to ensure that learners sent on this course with a view to becoming workplace Emergency First Aiders are physically and mentally fit to be able to perform the skills that may be required of them during their duties as an Emergency First Aider*.

Re-Qualification

Learners may re-qualify their Emergency First Aid at Work qualification by attending another Emergency First Aid at Work course during the period of validity of their certificate. Those learners holding a full First Aid at Work qualification may attend a two day First Aid at Work re-qualification course within the period of validitiy of their certificate in order to re-qualify.

Please note that this Annual Refresher / Update does not constitute a re-qualification in First Aid at Work.

Scheduled Courses and Booking

No public courses found in the next three months - sorry. Please ask us for details why, as this may be a problem with our databases rather than a real lack of courses.

Don't see a course that meets your requirements? Need to book a course at your venue for a small group? Please contact us.

We offer courses in Hampshire, West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Dorset, and further afield. We are based in Fareham, Hampshire.

[Back to Emergency First Aid at Work course]	[Back to Courses List]	[Forward to Appointed Persons Course]