Regulated/Approved First Aid Training

Selecting a First Aid Training Provider

As an Employer, you have a number of options available to you when selecting a First Aid Training Provider. HSE does not advocate, promote or support any particular option. You should select the most suitable option for your requirements.

The chart below summaries the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) GEIS 3 Document which the HSE has developed to assist Employers when choosing a First Aid Training Provider.

UPDATE 2022: please read STATEMENT FROM THE HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) (FIRST AID POLICY UNIT) FOR THE BENEFIT OF POTENTIAL FAIB CUSTOMERS (MARCH 2022)

As of 1st October 2013, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will cease providing the monitoring of First Aid at Work (FAW) and Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) Training.

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 will still remain and the requirement for Employers to conduct a risk assessment to determine the number of trained First Aiders will still exist.

The First Aid Industry Body (FAIB) has been set up to fill the void created by HSE withdrawing from the Approvals system and give a direct alternative to the Ofqual/SQA system.

The HSE have provided guidance for Employers and Guidance on the Regulations and state:

"The guidance however does not PROMOTE, RECOMMEND or SUPPORT any particular option. It does not comment on the quality of individual training courses or the service provided, nor does it provide an assessment of the quality assurance systems or any provider or class of provider".

HSE recommends that when selecting a Training Organisation, Employers should carry out due diligence to ensure that the organisation selected is suitable. Minister Mark Hoban MP and senior officials in HSE are happy for FAIB to perform the due diligence on behalf of its Members (the Training Organisations).

It was also clarified from the Minister/HSE to FAIB that Accreditation/Assurance COULD be sought through an Independent Body other than Ofqual/SQA. The accreditation has now been achieved through the Quality Care Academy (QCA) who have experts in and expertise regarding the Health Industry.

FAIB has been created by Ian Kershaw MBE, who previously Managed the First Aid Approvals and Monitoring Service of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) from 1995-2007 and will be operated through an Advisory Panel of Democratically elected people from within Training Organisations who are experts in the First Aid Training Industry.

The advantages of selecting a company to deliver your first Aid Training which is regulated by the FAIB are that:

• FAIB have set a minimum standard for approval of Training Organisations which is higher than that required under the HSE system.

• By selecting a Training Organisation registered through FAIB you can rest assured that the
  DUE DILIGENCE checks as required by HSE have been conducted by FAIB.

• FAIB will strongly recommend that an Independent Assessment is still continued on First Aid at Work courses.

• Training Organisations registered through FAIB agree to undergo regular inspections to ensure that standards are being maintained.

• In many cases, the Inspectors carrying out monitoring visits on Training Organisations are the same Inspectors who previously carried out the visits for HSE.

• Any Training Organisation operating through FAIB will risk loosing their approval, if they fail to maintain at least the minimum required standards.

• In order to maintain standards, FAIB is externally monitored and must provide evidence on a regular basis to show they are continuing to offer a level of service which will provide employers with the assurances they require.

• Membership of FAIB is clear evidence that the Training Organisation has agreed to work to set Administrative Standards.

• FAIB is probably the only TOTALLY INDEPEDENT Body in the First Aid Industry and as such does not offer training and consequently there is NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

• FAIB Members will be listed on the FAIB website on a geographical basis which will make it easy for Employers to find registered Training Organisations.

• The costs for Training Organisations to become Members will be kept to a minimum which should mean that costs to you the Employers will not have to be increased.