Following the HSE announcement (2012) that they intended to
withdraw from approving First Aid Training providers, the
Institute for Outdoor Learning consulted with a range of Outdoor
First Aid stakeholders to establish the current need and to
consider what minimum standards for the content and delivery of
Outdoor First Aid training and assessment might look like. The HSE
guidance on the content of generic First Aid qualifications lays
out the basic requirement for an employer, though has a limited
amount to assist outdoor practitioners. Some NGB's do provide
further guidance on the content of First Aid training to meet the
needs of their own awards, though some leave this to the
discretion of the practitioner.
It is apparent that many of the currently recognised courses
delivered by outdoor practitioners for outdoor practitioners
contain appropriate content and do so at a variety of levels. From
both an employers and a practitioners point of view, there is
scope to make things clearer by standardising minimum content for
these courses. There is also a definite need to provide more
certainty around the way in which course content is delivered to
ensure skills are developed and assessed in an appropriate
environment, as well as acquisition of knowledge. Finally, there
is also a need to build on the HSE's guidance on minimum
trainer competency to ensure Outdoor First Aid trainers understand
the needs of outdoor and remote environments and that they access
appropriate CPD to maintain the currency of their skills and
knowledge.
The Institute's initial consultations led to a proposed
framework, a copy of which is attached and the working group
behind this is now seeking wider feedback. The framework is
designed to support maintenance and development of standards in
Outdoor First Aid provision and to provide reassurance to
employers looking to fulfil their due diligence obligations.