Rank: Forum user 
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Ladies & Gents
I've been giving the requirement to have appointed first aid persons within a medical treatment facility some thought and would ask my kind colleagues for a sense check please:
If in a particular treatment centre I have triage nurses and registered medical professionals, do I need to appoint a first aid person?
I ask this as my instinct says, if I conduct a new first aid risk assessment for the individual centre/unit then, this natural resource is identified, which to be fair is more qualified and receives daily exposure.
How does this comply with the first aid at work regs as I won't have a nominated/appointed first aid person who has undergone the standard first aid at work qualifications?
It doesn't make sense to train a first aid person when a resource such as a triage nurse of GP is on hand?
All employees undertake basic life support and others advanced life support training every year as mandatory training.
Is there a list of professional exemptions whose qualifications in the medical industry exceed the first aid requirements?
What are your thoughts please?
(all comments and suggestions are welcomed)
Thank you
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Rank: Super forum user
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Ricky,
An interesting conundrum and one I would add to;
Many years ago as a young "Deeps" I found myself on a five day 1st aid course along with a varied group of matelots and one surgeon. We were all a bit perplexed about why a surgeon needed to attend a 1st aid course, including said very highly qualified sawbones. At the end of the course however he made a rather enlightening comment along the lines that he was amazed at how much he had learnt in 5 days and also that he now realised he was probably the last person you would want at a serious accident site as all his training had been about "fixing" people not stopping the "claret" splashing about.
So back to your original post - just because someone is a GP with half a dozen degrees etc does not mean they actually know how to sort out a serious injury (RTA in the road outside the surgery?), although just as a caveat I am sure that any minor first aid treatment would of course be superb.. The real problem is trying to persuade them that actually, they do need to do some first aid training once in a while to maintain their skill base,
Cheers,
Jim
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Rank: Super forum user
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Just because you are a GP, nurse or similar does not mean that you are/can be a first aider
In a hospital recently a visitor fell in a ward and hityvbtheir head on the side of a metal bed and all the professionals present panicked and none of them knew what to do. Luckly there was a visitor present who was a first aider [he was visiting another patent]. The injured party had to be taken to another hospital a number of miles away
Undertake your RA and then move on from there
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Rank: Super forum user
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Just because you are a GP, nurse or similar does not mean that you are/can be a first aider
In a hospital recently a visitor fell in a ward and hit their head on the side of a metal bed and all the professionals present panicked and none of them knew what to do. Luckly there was a visitor present who was a first aider [he was visiting another patent]. The injured party had to be taken to another hospital a number of miles away
Undertake your RA and then move on from there
Sorry; I hit button before checking spelling etc properly!!
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks all, its appreciated.
I've been a qualified first aid person myself for many years, another aspect of working in H&S I suppose, my concern is that although you are a first aid person, you don't really practice your skills sufficiently.
All of our employees recieve basic live support and those front end advanced life support, which includes the use of a crash trolley (oxygen etc) i.e. substances being administered in the event of an emergency.
My instinct is where we operate "walk in centres treating a range of minor illness and injury" then the skill set within this facility should be sufficient - is there a skills checker out there i.e. based on the first aid criteria for an appointed person etc?
I'm thinking on the lines of cross referencing first aid training elements against skillsets in each unit, to compliment the risk assessment.
Any ideas?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Bob as usual is correct. The following is from the Health and Safety(First Aid at Work) Regs 1981 ACOP:
'58 Providing they have current knowledge and skills in first aid, the training and experience of the following qualify them to administer first aid in the workplace:
(a) doctors registered with the General Medical Council;
(b) nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council;
(c) paramedics registered with the Health Professions Council.'
So as you can see, your risk assessment will let you know whether the nurses etc. in question have the particular skills required for administering competent first aid if required. However, in reality, many hospitals do not train first aiders in medical areas due to nurses and doctors working there.
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Rank: Forum user
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martinw - thank you, I'll cross reference this section further.
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Rank: New forum user
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Hello Rick
You may have as much info as you need from other contributors, certainly re skills assessment. I'd be inclined to try and find a couple of people you trust to become first aid appointed persons. As far as I know, whatever the area of work, they're a legal requirement under the regulations. Although they don't have to be first aiders themselves (most are), they're quite useful or can be when it comes to controlling panic;
better than anybody else you can rely on them to make a phone call to ambulance if you need it, give relevant information (and have savvy to remember to return and tell you they've done it);
they have the responsiblity to ensure you have the right kit in your first aid box when you need it.
I say find yourself 2 not one because they or another appointed person have to be on site at all times which with leave/sickness is difficult to ensure.
Best regards,
Chris
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Rank: Super forum user
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Chris61 wrote:Hello Rick
I'd be inclined to try and find a couple of people you trust to become first aid appointed persons.
Chris I can't help but feel this is a bit insulting to our nurses and doctors if there would be some difficulty in trying to find trustworthy people with such skill and dedication to the NHS. I think as you say you have lots of medically trained people but don't forget you need someone to look at replacing supplies in first aid kits (not forgetting not all areas of a hospital will be medical there would be some office areas) and also for filling in the accident report book and other duties first aiders undertake so i think there is still the need to at least identify individuals with this role. Phil
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