Online first aid courses

The UK requires employers to appoint and train enough first-aiders based on a needs assessment covering risk, headcount and remoteness — roughly one EFAW first-aider per 25–50 employees in low-risk settings, more FAW-trained staff in higher-risk ones. It is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981.

In England the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework requires at least one person holding a full 12-hour Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate — a Level 3 qualification — on the premises whenever children are present and on outings. The framework is set by the Department for Education and inspected by Ofsted, with certificates renewed every 3 years and PFA obtained within 90 days of hire.

The UK has no Good Samaritan statute granting blanket immunity, but the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 (SARAH Act, England & Wales) and the Compensation Act 2006 require courts to consider whether the defendant was acting heroically to help someone in danger when assessing negligence. Liability otherwise remains governed by common law, with no legal duty to rescue.

Nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) must revalidate every three years — 35 hours of CPD (at least 20 participatory), 450 practice hours, five reflective accounts, feedback and confirmation. CPD-accredited BLS and resuscitation training counts toward the 35-hour CPD total.

Care homes, nursing homes and domiciliary care services regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) train frontline staff through the sector-wide Care Certificate, whose Standard 12 'Basic Life Support' (CPR, AED, choking) includes a mandatory practical module. A recognized, up-to-date first-aid and CPR certificate meets this standard and must be renewed periodically.

Under the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards and the Training, Support and Development (TSD) Standards, all foster carers must complete first-aid training including paediatric first aid, delivered by a recognised provider, within their first 12 months of fostering. The framework is overseen by Ofsted in England and the equivalent inspectorates in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and covers anaphylaxis and adrenaline auto-injector use.

Online CPR and first aid training is recognized in the UK: the HSE accepts blended learning, with theory delivered online and an in-person practical assessment of skills required. Certification is valid for 3 years, with an annual skills refresher recommended.