First Aid requirements

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations (1981)  HSE First Aid require every business in the UK to provide adequate and appropriate first aid provisions.

The minimum provision requires every business to have a suitably stocked first aid box and an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements, so it is important to familiarise yourself with whom this is and where the box is kept.

You may also have a trained first aider, but if not the appointed person as a minimum is responsible for maintaining the first aid equipment and calling the emergency services if help is required. However, it is considered best practice to have workplace first aiders in a workplace including a community pharmacy because you are dealing with customers / members of the public.

There are 2 main types of workplace first aid course.

• A one day Emergency First Aid at Work Course (EFAW).
• A three day face to face or blend of online and face to face First Aid at Work Course (FAW)

These courses are available from a variety of different training providers e.g., St Johns Ambulance and British Red Cross and are available all over the country. A simple internet search will find your nearest provider. Prices do vary and discounts for repeat or multiple bookings are usually offered. GTS-MedOH are a Numark Discout Partner that offer First Aid training. If you have enough staff e.g. a chain of pharmacies most providers would deliver the training in your workplace if you required that. 

Remember even a slight injury may become serious, so make sure that every injury is treated appropriately, and staff are trained correctly to deal with first aid scenarios. 

It is important that all accidents and near misses are recorded in the accident/incident book even if they did not result in an injury. It is then the manager’s responsibility to investigate the accident and see if any changes need to be made to work practices to prevent any re-occurrence. Some accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences must be reported by law to the enforcing authority, as required by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).