We are currently having a bit of a debate with our first aiders about their roles when an employee has to go to hospital. Our debate is - if the employee is conveyed to hospital (as walking wounded by car - we are 3 minutes away from the hospital) should the First Aider stay, or return to work? Is there any advice from the first Aid trainers out there?? Clearly if the employee is in a very distressed state then until perhaps a family member is able to arrive I would not be concerned with them staying, but my feeling is if the employee is not distressed once handed over to the medical team they should come back to site. I hate to write for writings sake but this one is getting a bit emotive now and I think we need clear guidelines. Any good practices gratefully received. Thank you

Blodwyn, I feel you should deal with each case on its own merits. Some people who get injured require a lot of support, whereas there are those who do not want to be made a fuss of (me included) and can deal with the issue themselves. If you make a policy/procedure up, and it gets broken in the future by a first aider staying with an injured person for too long, and you then discipline the first aider, you may find the rest of the first aiders resign from their voluntary responsibilities, then you would have a problem.

I'd expect the first aider to stay with me until I was handed over to the medical team (depending on the injury this might require the first aider to sit in the waiting room with the injured party until he is seen). Once with the medical team I don't really see the need for the first aider to stay as someone better qualified is looking after the patient? Just my opinion for what its worth.