FIRST AID ADVICE & PRACTICAL GUIDANCE
First Aid Advice & Practical Guidance
Practical, evidence-informed First Aid guidance for employers, workplace first aiders and people who want to understand how First Aid works.
Explore workplace First Aid responsibilities, choosing appropriate training, clinical-practice guidance and an expanding library covering essential First Aid skills and common emergencies.
Our aim is to explain First Aid clearly, practically and responsibly while recognising that online information does not replace appropriate practical training.
Need urgent help?
This website provides general First Aid information and is not designed to guide you through a live emergency. If someone is seriously ill or injured, call 999 immediately and follow the instructions given by the emergency call handler.
FOR EMPLOYERS
Workplace First Aid Advice
Practical guidance to help employers understand workplace First Aid arrangements, responsibilities and provision.
Topics include First Aid needs assessments, numbers of first aiders, appointed persons and how organisations can determine appropriate workplace First Aid arrangements.
First Aid Needs Assessment: A Practical Guide for Employers
A practical guide to carrying out a First Aid needs assessment, understanding workplace hazards and risks, reviewing existing provision and deciding what First Aid arrangements your organisation actually needs.
Read the guide →How Many First Aiders Do I Need?
There is no fixed legal ratio of first aiders to employees. This practical guide explains HSE guidance, First Aid cover, workplace ratios, competence, absence planning and how to assess what your organisation actually needs.
Read the guide →Appointed Person or First Aider? What Employers Need to Know
Understand the difference between an appointed person and a trained first aider, what “taking charge” of First Aid arrangements means, training considerations and when each type of provision may be appropriate.
Read the guide →CHOOSING YOUR TRAINING
First Aid Training Advice
Clear guidance to help employers and learners understand workplace First Aid qualifications, renewal requirements, training providers and the different training options available.
Topics include EFAW versus FAW, certificate validity, refresher and requalification training, online learning and choosing an appropriate training provider.
EFAW or FAW? Which First Aid Course Does Your Workplace Need?
Understand the difference between Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work, how your First Aid needs assessment should guide the decision, and why EFAW and FAW are not simply labels for low-risk and high-risk workplaces.
Read the guide →Does an Online First Aid Course Count?
Online First Aid learning can be useful, but an online certificate is not automatically evidence of workplace first-aider competence. Understand online learning, blended training, practical assessment and what employers should check.
Read the guide →How Long Does a First Aid Certificate Last?
EFAW and FAW certificates are normally valid for three years. Understand certificate expiry, annual refresher training, FAW requalification, EFAW renewal and what employers should do before First Aid cover lapses.
Read the guide →Choosing a First Aid Training Provider in Cheshire & North Wales
What should employers look for when choosing a First Aid training provider? Explore regulated qualifications, trainer competence, Internal Quality Assurance, practical delivery, clinical oversight, pricing and professionally managed training.
Read the guide →FIRST AID SKILLS & EMERGENCIES
Practical First Aid Knowledge Library
We are building a structured library covering the essential principles, practical skills and common emergencies taught within First Aid training.
Articles will explain the principles behind First Aid in clear language, supported where appropriate by recognised UK clinical and regulatory guidance.
Starting with the role of the first aider
Our practical series begins with the fundamentals: what a first aider is there to do, the limits of the role and the three key aims commonly described as the 3 P's of First Aid — Preserve Life, Prevent Deterioration and Promote Recovery.
From there, the library will progress through casualty assessment, resuscitation and common First Aid emergencies.
Getting Started
CPR & Resuscitation
Airway & Breathing Emergencies
Injuries
Medical Emergencies
HEALTHCARE & CLINICAL PRACTICE
First Aid, BLS & Resuscitation in Clinical Practice
Guidance for GP practices, dental teams and other healthcare organisations where First Aid, resuscitation and emergency response sit within a wider clinical environment.
What BLS Training Do GP Practices & Dental Surgeries Need?
Practical guidance on annual BLS training, adult, child and infant resuscitation, AED use, anaphylaxis, whole-team roles, emergency equipment and planning for a real resuscitation emergency.
Read the guide →TRAIN WITH THE HIVE
Professional First Aid Training
The Hive Collaborative provides workplace First Aid training for employers, organisations and individuals across Cheshire and North Wales.
Our training includes Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work, FAW Requalification, annual refresher training, CPR & AED, specialist First Aid and clinical-practice training.
LOCAL FIRST AID TRAINING
First Aid Training Across Cheshire & North Wales
We provide First Aid training across Deeside, Flintshire, Wrexham, Chester and the wider Cheshire and North Wales area, with onsite training available for workplace groups.
TRUSTED INFORMATION
Clear, Practical & Evidence-Informed
We aim to provide practical and reliable First Aid information. Where appropriate, our guidance is reviewed against recognised UK sources including the Health and Safety Executive, NHS and Resuscitation Council UK.
Our practical First Aid articles are written as educational resources and are not a substitute for appropriate practical training or professional emergency assistance.
Individual articles include links to relevant primary guidance where this helps readers understand the source of the information provided.
Guidance is reviewed and updated where necessary, with review dates shown on individual articles.
Last reviewed: August 2026