The First Aid Quality Partnership (FAQP) met on the 5th January 2021 to discuss the impact of the latest lockdown restrictions on the delivery of First Aid training. The decision made at this current time was:
The provision of First Aid qualifications can continue to be delivered in line with existing COVID-secure guidelines.
Consultations are continuing with each of the UK devolved administrations to clarify the position of First Aid training provision as part of each of their individual lockdowns as we move forward over the coming weeks.
If you do need to deliver essential training you must ensure that a risk assessment is completed for each of your training sessions. Consider the following before your training goes ahead:
• Can the training be postponed?
• Is this essential training that is required to enable a permitted workplace to open safely?
• Can I keep the group members 2 metres apart during training?
• Is the venue safe for me to use and permitted to open under current government rules?
• Can I implement all of the Covid secure training measures as listed by the UK Resuscitation Council?
Current Guidance on certificate extensions from the HSE as at 5th January 2021 are as follows:
FAW or EFAW certificates that expired after 16 March 2020 can remain valid until 31 October 2020 or 6 months from date of expiry, whichever is later. All requalification training for these certificates should be completed by 31 March 2021. If any extensions are put in place following ongoing consultations we will release further information regarding this.
To reference the Covid secure measures as recommended by the UK Resuscitation Council please refer to the ‘WorkSafe Guide to Socially Distanced First Aid Training’ (available in the instructor portal).
For full details of the statement from the UK Resuscitation Council on COVID-19 in Relation to CPR and Resuscitation for those ‘Teaching’ Resuscitation Techniques’ click here.