New to First Aid Training - Understanding the First Aid Sector

First Aid trainers in the UK have to be part of an organisation in order to deliver accredited, credible, recognised, certificated qualifications. This first aid organisation has to demonstrate quality assurance systems, designed to maintain the integrity of the first aid qualification and to protect the interests of candidates and employers, to the regulatory authorities.

The First Aid training sector in the UK currently has various major regulators:

Health & Safety Executive (HSE)

Currently approves approximately 1200 organisations for the purpose of delivering First Aid at Work and gives each organisation an approval number. Each organisation has its procedures and syllabus approved by FAAMS (First Aid Approvals & Monitoring Section) of the HSE. Since October 2009 the HSE has approved organisations to deliver Emergency First Aid at Work (1-day) or First Aid at Work (3-day) qualifications. Many workplace and leisure sectors will accept a certificate from any first aid course as being credible, provided it is delivered by a HSE approved organisation. The implication being that the quality systems regulated by the HSE are applied to the other qualifications developed. Note the HSE only regulate EFAW or FAW. ITC has a HSE approval number 1670/96.

Ofqual (qualifications regulator) and Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

Ofqual currently accredits about 180 Awarding Organisations who develop qualifications in all sectors, examples include City & Guilds and Edexel. Accredited qualifications are to be found as part of the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF). There are currently a handful of Awarding Bodies concerned with developing First Aid courses.

ITC First Aid Ltd is an accredited awarding body and some of the first aid qualifications developed by ITC are to be found on the the national qualifications frameworks, for example ITC Level 5 Outdoor First Aid (SCQF), ITC Level 2 Paediatric First Aid (QCF), ITC Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work (QCF), ITC Level 5 First Aid for Sport Exercise & Fitness (SCQF).

ITC First Aid Ltd is a SQA approved awarding body, supporting Providers and Centres in Scotland offering first aid qualifications.

Uniquely, by using ITC First Aid Ltd services, ITC Trainers and Assessors have the benefit of best practice and regulation from both accrediting pathways. Trainers and Assessors follow the governance of ITC, which is the approved & accredited organisation, in order to deliver to their own clients. To become an ITC Provider or Centre, individuals or organisations are required to follow the pathways described in this website.