Recurring concern
Inadequate staff competence to provide first aid
- Reports that mention this concern
- 95
- Times this concern has been raised
- 111
- Stated actions linked to this concern
- 176
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in first-aid or basic-life-support training, currency, refresher provision, competence assessment, practical skill, emergency recognition or ability to provide CPR and other appropriate first aid where these concern staff expected or likely to respond to emergencies.
What is not included
- Excludes failures concerning unrelated professional, clinical or record-keeping competence where first aid is not the safety issue.
- Excludes missing or inadequate first-aid equipment, facilities or emergency procedures unless the assertion also directly concerns staff competence to use them.
- Excludes delays or failures by emergency services or other responders that are not attributed to staff first-aid competence.
- Excludes generic workforce training deficiencies without a direct first-aid or basic-life-support component.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Reports and published responses 95 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
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Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain current first-aid training for prison staff working alone at night
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- HM Prison and Probation Service
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
-
HM Prison and Probation Service
Provide first aid training to all Custodial Managers undertaking orderly officer duties.
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HM Prison and Probation Service
Provide first aid training to Operational Support Grade staff.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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HM Prison and Probation Service
Twenty-four-hour healthcare cover is sufficient to meet identified first-aid training needs at HMP Liverpool.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of current training for assessing medical issues
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Peaks & Plains Housing Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Peaks & Plains Housing Trust
Introduce mandatory first-aid training before Responder attendance and require certificates to remain current.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of basic first aid training for prison officers and staff with direct access to prisoners
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
- HM Prison and Probation Service
- NHS England
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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HM Prison and Probation Service and NHS England
Train all Custodial Managers in first aid to ensure trained staff are always available.
-
Concerns raised1
Insufficient first-aid training level among health support workers
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Leeds City Council
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Leeds City Council
Provide and renew First Aid at Work and Fundamental First Aid training through a continuing professional-development programme.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Leeds City Council
The existing first-aid training regime adequately addresses concerns about staff first-aid competence, so additional training is unnecessary.
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Leeds City Council
There is no need to engage health support workers because customers generally do not have complex or additional medical needs.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure staff in caring roles have current basic life support training
Linked response
- Hywel Dda University LHB
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Hywel Dda University LHB
Train all residential-unit staff in Basic Life Support.
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Hywel Dda University LHB
Evaluate training options for healthcare support staff focused on recognising and responding to life-threatening conditions.
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Hywel Dda University LHB
Use a risk-based approach to determine which healthcare support staff require life-threatening-conditions training, including those working unsupervised.
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Concerns raised1
Failure to maintain effective and current first aid training and competence
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Review and strengthen the staff training system using a skills matrix and training plan.
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Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Allocate staff to scheduled training sessions rather than relying on open attendance.
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Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Require employees to keep training current through an employment-contract clause.
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Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Provide key-area training to all nursing and care staff.
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Barons Park Nursing Home Ltd
Review training effectiveness through staff feedback and course-participant evaluation.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of up-to-date first aid certification and choking-response knowledge among staff
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of basic first aid training for personnel responding to unwell passengers
Linked response
- ATOC Limited
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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ATOC Limited
Review passenger illness assistance and share TOC approaches to first-aid training and briefing through the Safety Forum and Operations Council.
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ATOC Limited
Send members an electronic notification about the death, recovery position, and consideration of changes to station first-aid arrangements.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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ATOC Limited
Individual train operating companies decide and implement proportionate responses to passenger illness risks based on their own risk assessments.
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ATOC Limited
Individual companies’ ongoing review of existing first-aid arrangements is considered a sufficient national response, rather than requiring prescriptive uniform measures.
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Concerns raised2
Failure to provide Emergency Care Assistants and Emergency Medical Technicians with attendance at Immediate Life Support courses
Failure to assess Emergency Care Assistants and Emergency Medical Technicians at intervals for compliance with life-support standards and scope of practice
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Failure of nursing staff to apply basic life-support training
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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North London NHS Foundation Trust
Revise and regularly run lifelike-manikin resuscitation assessments and practical sessions across Forensic Service and Trust wards.
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North London NHS Foundation Trust
Conduct unannounced resuscitation scenarios across Forensic wards to strengthen emergency response.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Data last updated 7 September 2026