First aid training questions, answered clearly.

Your choice should come from the organisation’s first-aid needs assessment, considering workplace hazards, workforce size and distribution, working patterns, absences, remote or lone workers, and proximity to emergency help. Fundamentally First Aid currently delivers Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW). If your assessment indicates a broader First Aid at Work or specialist course is needed, EFAW should not be selected simply because it is shorter.

Read the HSE needs-assessment guidance.

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) prepares a first aider to respond to common workplace emergencies and is normally delivered over one day. First Aid at Work (FAW) includes EFAW content plus a wider range of injuries and illnesses and normally requires more training time. The correct level depends on your needs assessment.

The VTQ route is a ProTrainings vocational qualification delivered through its quality-assured training system. The RQF route is an Ofqual-regulated qualification awarded through TQUK. Both are assessed; the best choice can depend on an employer, client, tender or sector requirement. We can explain the practical difference, but the customer remains responsible for confirming any prescribed qualification requirement.

The HSE no longer approves individual first-aid training providers. Employers must select a competent provider and complete appropriate due diligence. Our assessed EFAW courses are delivered through ProTrainings Approved Centre #92122 and are designed around the standards expected for workplace first-aid training. The employer must still confirm that EFAW is suitable for its own needs.

See the HSE guide to selecting a provider.

Current SIA rules require door supervisor and security guard learners to hold an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or accepted equivalent, before full or refresher licence-linked training. The certificate normally needs at least 12 months remaining when presented. Requirements can change, so the learner should confirm acceptance with the licence-linked training provider before booking.

Check the current SIA guidance.

Training is delivered on site at the customer’s workplace or another suitable venue arranged by the customer. We primarily cover Surrey and the Home Counties. Travel outside the usual area may be possible by agreement and may affect the quotation. Marlborough House is our administrative address; training is not delivered there, and we do not currently advertise individual seats on public or open courses.

Courses can be arranged for 1 to 12 learners, with a maximum ratio of one instructor to 12 learners. The quoted price is for the agreed course and learner number, rather than a guaranteed certificate for every attendee.

EFAW requires at least six hours of learner contact time and is delivered across a one-day programme with breaks. We offer a range of weekday or weekend start times, subject to availability and agreement. The instructor normally arrives around 60 minutes before the course for unloading and setup, and pack-away may take up to 60 minutes afterwards.

The venue must be heated, have welfare facilities and provide enough uninterrupted space for theory and practical work. Learners need classroom seating, safe floor space and working power sockets. The instructor brings substantial equipment, so the customer should also provide a safe unloading point close to the training building and full-day parking. Necessary parking charges may be added to the invoice. If the room, flooring, access or space is unsuitable, the course may be unable to proceed.

The programme is practical and typically includes the role of the first aider, scene and casualty assessment, calling for help, unresponsiveness, the recovery position, CPR, use of an automated external defibrillator, choking, bleeding, shock, seizures and minor injuries. Exact content follows the applicable course specification and current guidance.

Each learner is provided with one CPR manikin for their own practice, avoiding the need to share during CPR sessions. We also use stand-up choking manikins shared during the choking module and multiple manufacturer training defibrillators so learners experience realistic equipment rather than a single generic design.

Yes. Successful completion requires full attendance, satisfactory practical assessments, continual observation and achievement of the required end-of-course assessment standard. A booking or payment provides attendance only; it does not guarantee certification. Where the required standard is not achieved, further training or reassessment may be chargeable.

Learners need sufficient English—normally described in the booking terms as English Level 2—to understand teaching, safety instructions and assessments. Practical work may include standing, sitting, kneeling, leaning forward, floor work and rolling a casualty. Tell us before the course about any medical condition, disability, mobility restriction or access requirement so possible reasonable adjustments can be discussed. Adjustments cannot remove a mandatory assessment outcome. Learners under 18 require parental consent.

Wear clean, comfortable clothing suitable for standing, kneeling, leaning forward and floor work. Avoid clothing that may expose the body during practical exercises, including short skirts, short shorts, low or loose-hanging tops and see-through clothing. Learners should also bring suitable photographic identification for certification checks.

Full attendance is required. A learner who arrives after the course has started, returns late from a break or leaves before completion may be unable to continue and may not receive a refund, transfer or certificate. Course organisers should ensure learners are available for registration before the stated start time.

The assessed EFAW course described here is delivered in person at your venue because learners must receive practical teaching and complete practical assessments. Separate online first aid courses are available for awareness, personal learning and refresher purposes, but an organisation should not assume that an online-only course replaces the workplace qualification identified by its needs assessment.

View online training options.

On-site pricing depends on factors such as location, qualification route, number of course days and any agreed additional requirements, so a single fixed price is not displayed. Request a free, no-obligation quotation; quotations are normally valid for three months and show the total amount payable. After accepting the quotation, complete the first aid booking form with the agreed date, venue, learner number and course route. An invoice is then issued. A submitted form or reserved date is not a confirmed booking; payment of the invoice confirms it. On-site course payment is due in accordance with the invoice.

The applicable booking terms use the following notice periods:

• 21 days or more: full refund and no transfer fee.
• 7–20 days: 50% refund or a 25% transfer fee.
• 1–6 days: 25% refund or a 50% transfer fee.
• Same day or non-attendance: no refund or transfer.

Any transfer must take place within 12 months of the original course date. If Fundamentally First Aid must cancel because of circumstances beyond its control, the booking terms provide for a full refund or transfer; consequential costs such as lost income, travel or accommodation are not covered. The complete terms in force at the time of booking apply.

Certificates are digital and are issued only after successful completion. VTQ certificates are normally available the same day or by the next working day. Regulated TQUK RQF certificates normally take around three to four working days. Unless stated otherwise, EFAW certificates are valid for three years.

Annual refresher training is not a general legal requirement, but the HSE strongly recommends it so first aiders maintain practical skills and remain aware of changes. The full qualification must be renewed before expiry if the person is to continue acting as a certificated workplace first aider. Successful ProTrainings learners also receive a personal dashboard with their digital certificate, CPD information and downloadable resources, plus up to eight months’ access to supporting videos and optional refresher content and expiry reminders. Employer dashboard options can help organisations monitor staff training records.