Hi Marion I agree, first aid cover in a college environment can be a nightmare but we ensure we have first aid cover at all times during college opening times by training all reception staff and campus service officers; to further ensure our obligation is properly fulfilled to students, all our learning / technical assistants are first aid trained as part of their job spec and which supplements the receptionists and campus service officers. I will add, whilst this is a job requirement in all those noted above, we only train willing participants as you will always get those who may be averse to body fluids and equally those who may not have the capability so they are screened for suitability. Our first aiders do receive a nominal remuneration and I agree, some are called on more than others but this depends on the environment ie construction, catering and hairdressing where lacerations seem to be most prevalent. Also we have a special needs group (school) and their first aid requirements are attended to by the learning assistants in their own school and these learning assistants will only attend to their own students. Campus service officers and reception staff have access to radios and there are telephones in each classroom / staff room etc so a first aider is never more than a few minutes away so there is no need to issue mobile phones and think if mobile phones is the route you have chosen and are only used by a couple of people then is this cost effective - I would also look at how you remunerate your first aiders and maybe pay them a flat rate for being a first aider to ensure you have sufficient to comply with safe working practices and maybe consider an additional payment for each case attended - just a thought as I know the obstacles only too well in this environment so can appreciate your concerns. Not sure if this helps but I know by employing the measures we have, we are fully covered at all times by agreeable first aid trained staff. Regards Elaine

I think like Jane a University environment can be likened to a College. First Aid cover was provided by our security officers who were available 24/7 In addition additional first aiders are located in critical areas such as the nursery and sports centre. In most cases the requirement to give first aid was written into the employment contract. At the time I was at the university there was never a shortage of volunteers to cover other areas even though an honoraria was not paid John

The simultaneous call facility appears to be some custom-written software working in association with the VoIP telephone system the University has adopted. For each person in the loop it can call two numbers. If the first number is not answered within a set time, it calls the second number, so for me it calls my Department-owned mobile first, and then my desk phone. The person making the call (at Reception in my department) puts in a security code and records a short message - this is very useful as it gives us a heads up on what we might be facing. The system records which telephones have been answered, and it asks for a key to be pressed to acknowledge the call. We don't use radios. They do have some advantages, but on the whole we prefer the phones. The emergency team also have phones (so my phone appears in two loops) and theirs are a bit more sophisticated as they can take photographs and send them to one another. The first aiders' phones are extremely basic, but effective. Another advantage of having phones is that we can use them to dial 999. We can also call one another free of charge using the phone's mobex number, and can call any internal extension number in the University network also free of charge. I must stress that this system is unique to our department. There is no overall University strategy on emergency communication. The organisation as a whole is scattered over a distance of probably about 10 miles. Part of my own department is 4 miles away. The Security service does not provide any first aid cover.