HSE recommends any qualified First Aider undertakes anual training where skills are refreshed & new information is given.
The HSE strongly recommends that qualified First Aiders and Emergency First Aiders undertake an annual refresher course to keep their skills up-to-date. The two courses, listed previously, last for three years before they need to be renewed. However, it is widely accepted that this period is too long without any up-to date training. Participants from 14 years of age may attend.
Most workplaces now have Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to help in cases of a sudden cardiac arrest. The AED helps to re-establish the heart’s regular rhythm via an electrical shock. Approximately 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year in the UK. Survival rates vary between 2% and 12%. But, with a quick response and effective use of an AED, this can rise to approx 75%.