I get lots of enquiries regarding first aid courses (which is not surprising since I do first aid training); a question I get asked a lot is:

“Is the training accredited or not?”

But what does ‘accredited’ mean and how does it differ from non-accredited?

All the way back in 2013 (which seems an awfully long time ago) the Health and Safety Executive stopped regulated first aid training providers in order to offer more flexibility for employers to choose the type of first aid training that they wanted in the workplace.

If you are looking for first aid training in Essex or elsewhere then you have several options available to you.

Option 1 is to use one of the Voluntary Aid Societies such as British Red Cross or St Johns Ambulance. Due to their status they certify their own first aid courses.

Option 2 is to use a first aid training company that is registered with an awarding body such as Qualsafe to deliver training regulated by OFQUAL. This type of first aid training is the one known as ‘regulated’ or ‘accredited’. First Aid Training companies offering this type of training register with the awarding body and are subject to monitoring by them to ensure they meet certain standards. A company such as www.meducatetraining.co.uk is a good example of this type of provider. These courses are part of a qualification framework known as RQF and come in different ‘levels’

Option 3 is to use a first aid training provider that is registered with an organisation such as the Federation of First Aid Training Organisations. Providers registered with this type of organisation are monitored and inspected and deliver first aid training to the old HSE standard for first aid training. Providers normally issue their own certificates and the courses are not OFQUAL regulated but are quality assured.

Option 4 is to use a first aid training provider that is completely independent of any awarding or regulatory body. They provide their own training materials and issue their own certificates and have their own quality assurance systems. Some simple due diligence when contacting one of these providers should easily determine whether the provider is suitably qualified to provide first aid training for you. A provider such as https://www.markwigley.online/page/classroomfirstaidtraining is a good example of this type of provider.

A top tip when booking first aid training is to make sure you know exactly what you have purchased and what type of certificate you are going to end up; so you don’t end up getting what you didn’t want.  The provider you contact should be up-front with you as to what type of training they offer.

Each type of provider has their own unique pro’s and con’s and none are necessarily better than the other. Shop around and make sure you are happy with the option you have chosen, the course and the price. Option 4 can be a lot cheaper than Option 1 for example however there is more to the choice than just the price.