Posted By Melanie Harrison Can anyone provide a general guideline of how much a company should pay their first aid members as a token of thanks? We are currently finding it difficult to retain our First Aid team and would appreciate your advice.

Posted By Ron Hunter We pay just over £20 ever four week period - but a big Local Authority can afford that!

Posted By Roy Gladwell Melanie Our company pay £250 a year to all first aiders in 12 equal payments Regards Roy

Posted By Allan St.John Holt Melanie, At Royal Mail we have one of the country's largest first aid teams, and we don't pay them anything extra. We are having difficulty getting the volunteers just as others are. One of the issues around payment is that we don't pay managers any overtime or 'extras' and this would exclude paying managers who are first aiders anything. In equity, the principle is deployed 'down' from there, so that nobody gets one. I'm not sure this is right, but that's how it is. What we do do is recognise first aiders wherever we can - special reflective jackets for instance. We also have a big national competition each year and give them plugs in our staff newspaper. I know that part of the problem is that having volunteered, there is a perception that managers are unwilling to give people the necessary time off for training, so backing from local management is a real factor. Hope these comments help! Allan

Posted By Richard Mathews Our organisation pays around £12 per month but I agree with Paul that if you have to make a payment to get volunteers, then you may not get the right kind of people. It's one thing practicing on a doll but when faced with a real casualty I've seen some "first aiders" back off, not really very helpful. Richard

Posted By Peter John Campbell Quill Dear Melanie I assume you have asked the first aiders leaving your team why they want to give up. The issues may not just be money. Whether or not you pay them will depend on your company culture and history. I do not agree that payment will affect their effectiveness. Whatever their motivation to 'volunteer' it will be principly the training that they receive that will determine their performance on the job. Choose a training organisation that does good casualty simulation, and then treating real casualties should be easy for them. Best regards Peter

Posted By Martin J Morley I know of one organization which does not pay its First Aiders any extra, for similar reasons to the Royal Mail. It also has written its job specifications to include first aid as a normal duty, thereby circumventing the need for volunteers. That said the implementation was not generally taking a hard line, so there weren't any real problems. Actual First Aid raises many issues which individuals may not be properly prepared for - just like health and safety really. Martin