First Aid

The First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum (FAAOF) have updated the list of approved equivalents to First Aid at Work (FAW).

British Red Cross have now provided mapping evidence to show their FAW certificate is comparable to a regulated version and has now been added to the list on the FAAOF website FAQs page.

The HSE have updated their ‘First Aid During the Coronavirus (CV19) Pandemic’ guidance to include the temporary omission of rescue breaths on FAW/EFAW courses.

• First Aid Training Restrictions: Statement from HSE and DfE January 2021
• COVID-19: Statement from HSE and DfE relating to certificate expiry
• Resus Council UK statement
• Resus Council UK video
• COVID Safe First Aid Training
• Assessment Adjustments to allow for Physical Distancing
• Definition of a Close Contact
• First Aid Qualification Expiry Dates
• Delivering first aid during the continuing pandemic

Open College Network West Midlands have developed First Aid qualifications to help employers meet the requirements of The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981:

“An employer shall provide, or ensure that there is provided, such number of suitable persons as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering first-aid to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work”.

These qualifications are regulated by Ofqual and have been developed in line with current Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines and in conjunction with the First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum (FAAOF), of which Open College Network West Midlands is an active member.

You can find out more about the First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum by clicking here to visit their website and here to read their Terms of Reference.

First Aid Qualification Expiry Dates The Open College Network West Midlands Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work provides learners with the skills and knowledge to undertake the role of emergency first aider, where an organisation’s First Aid needs assessment identifies the workplace to be low risk.

The Open College Network West Midlands Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work provides learners with the skills and knowledge to undertake the role of first aider, where an organisation’s First Aid needs assessment identifies the workplace to be high risk.

Centres providing these qualifications must adhere to the following policies and procedures:

• Delivery Standards for Regulated First Aid Qualifications
• Assessment Principles for Regulated First Aid Qualifications
• Blended Learning in First Aid Quality Assurance Standards
• Reasonable Adjustments for Regulated First Aid Qualifications

We are delighted to announce that we now have free of charge resources available to support the delivery and assessment of these qualifications.

These resources include Learner workbooks mapped to the unit content that can be used to provide learner assessment evidence and a Tutor Guide giving details of how to assess, answers and acceptable responses.

These resources have been developed in line with current Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines and in conjunction with the First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum (FAAOF) and map precisely to the assessment criteria in the relevant units.

If you are a registered Open College Network West Midlands centre, your centre administator can download these resources from Quartzweb.

Follow the links below for more information about each qualification.