First Aid at Work (Blended)
First Aid at Work blended training: approximately six hours of structured online theory, completed at your own pace, plus two days of face-to-face practical training and assessment. The same accredited FAW qualification, with the scheduling flexibility many organisations need.
| QUALIFICATION: First Aid at Work (Blended) | ||
| DURATION ~6 hrs online + 2 days face-to-face | DELIVERY Blended / Online theory + face-to-face practical | GROUP SIZE Max 12 learners |
| CERTIFICATE Accredited First Aid at Work | VALIDITY 3 years / Annual refresher recommended | AWARDING BODIES Worksafe / FAIB (Highfield and Nuco on request) |
| Meets Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and HSE Approved Code of Practice L74. All content reflects the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines | ||
Course Overview
The First Aid at Work qualification is the right qualification for higher-risk workplaces, larger organisations, and settings where a full first aid competency is required following a first aid needs assessment. The challenge for many organisations is not whether their staff need it. It is finding a way to deliver it without pulling key people out of operation for three consecutive days.
The First Aid at Work Blended course solves that problem. It combines approximately six hours of structured online theory, completed at each learner’s own pace before attending, with two days of face-to-face practical training and assessment. The two face-to-face days do not need to be consecutive, giving organisations an additional layer of scheduling flexibility. The qualification at the end is identical to the standard three-day course.
The online element is not a shortcut. It includes multiple-choice assessments within the learning platform, and learners must complete them in full before attending the face-to-face sessions. They arrive having already demonstrated understanding of the theory, which means the two practical days can focus entirely on hands-on skill development, scenario work, and competency assessment. This course meets the requirements of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and the HSE Approved Code of Practice L74. It reflects the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines and is accredited by Worksafe and FAIB.
Course Details
- Duration: Approximately 6 hours of online theory (self-paced, completed before attending) plus 2 days of face-to-face practical training and assessment. The two face-to-face days do not need to be consecutive.
- Delivery: Blended. Online theory via learning platform, then face-to-face practical at your venue.
- Certificate: Accredited First Aid at Work
- Awarding organisations: Worksafe, FAIB. Highfield and Nuco are available on request.
- Validity: 3 years. Annual refresher strongly recommended.
- Group size: Maximum 12 learners per trainer
Who This Course Is For
This course is right for organisations whose first aid needs assessment identifies the requirement for fully qualified workplace first aiders, but where releasing staff for three consecutive days creates operational difficulty.
- Care providers and healthcare settings where shift patterns and staffing ratios make three consecutive days away from the floor difficult to manage
- Construction, manufacturing, engineering, and logistics environments where operational cover cannot be maintained with key staff absent
- Schools, colleges, and nurseries working around term timetables and staffing constraints
- Hospitality, retail, and event venues where peak periods or rota patterns restrict availability
- Office-based and professional services organisations that want scheduling flexibility without compromising the qualification standard
The blended route is not a lighter version of the qualification. It is a more flexible route to the same outcome. If your workplace needs First Aid at Work, this course delivers it. If scheduling is not a constraint and you prefer the traditional classroom format, see our First Aid at Work (3-Day) course. Not sure which level your workplace needs? Get in touch, and we’ll help you work it out before you commit.
The Legal Requirement
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, every employer has a legal duty to make adequate and appropriate first-aid provision for their employees. The HSE Approved Code of Practice L74 requires employers to carry out a first aid needs assessment and appoint suitably trained first aiders based on the outcome. For higher-risk environments or larger workforces, that means first aiders holding the full First Aid at Work qualification.
One question buyers ask directly about the blended route is whether it genuinely meets HSE requirements. It does, and the reason is straightforward. The HSE’s position is clear that practical first aid competencies must be physically assessed. Online-only training does not meet that requirement, regardless of how thorough the theory content is. This course is not online-only. The face-to-face practical element is mandatory, runs across two full days, and includes continuous competency assessment by a qualified instructor. Learners who have not completed the online module cannot attend. The certificate is awarded only when both elements have been completed and all practical competencies have been passed.
For further detail on the HSE’s compliance position, our blog Why Online-Only First Aid Training Is Not Compliant covers it in full.
What the Course Covers
All content reflects the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines and HSE L74 throughout. Every course is built to include industry-specific scenarios and your organisation’s reporting systems as standard.
Online theory module (completed before attending)
- The role and legal responsibilities of a workplace first aider
- Incident management and scene safety
- How the body responds to illness and injury
- Medical emergencies: heart attack, stroke, seizures, asthma, diabetic emergencies, anaphylaxis, and poisoning
- Trauma: bleeding, shock, burns, fractures, head and spinal injuries
- Accident reporting, documentation, and RIDDOR awareness
- Multiple-choice assessment within the learning platform
Face-to-face practical sessions (two days)
- Primary survey and recovery position
- Adult CPR: technique, rate, depth, and ratio
- AED use, including correct pad placement
- Choking: partial and complete obstruction
- Severe bleeding and wound management
- Shock management
- Burns, scalds, and minor injuries
- Fractures and soft tissue injuries
- Head, spinal, and chest injury management
- Scenario-based casualty simulations
- Continuous practical competency assessment throughout both days
- Written multiple-choice assessment
How the Course Is Delivered
Step 1: Online theory. Learners access the online module through our learning platform and complete approximately six hours of theory at their own pace. The module includes multiple-choice assessments throughout. Completion of the online element is mandatory before learners can attend the face-to-face sessions.
Step 2: Face-to-face practical training. Two days of instructor-led, practical, scenario-based training and assessment delivered at your workplace or chosen venue. Groups are capped at 12 to ensure every learner receives sufficient hands-on time and individual feedback. The two days do not need to be consecutive, giving organisations flexibility to work around operational demands.
Step 3: Assessment and certification. Assessment is continuous throughout the practical days, covering technique, decision-making, and scenario response. A written multiple-choice exam is also completed during the face-to-face element. The First Aid at Work certificate is awarded on successful completion of both the online and practical elements.
Every session is built around your working environment, your sector’s risks, and your internal reporting procedures. If you have specific scheduling constraints around the face-to-face days, discuss them with us during the enquiry process, and we will work out a practical approach.
Which Course Is Right for Your Organisation?
Two decisions: which level (FAW or EFAW) and which route (standard or blended).
FAW or EFAW? First Aid at Work is appropriate for higher-risk environments, larger workforces, and settings where the hazard profile demands greater competence and a wider clinical range. Emergency First Aid at Work is appropriate for lower to medium-risk environments. Our EFAW vs FAW guide and Workplace First Aid UK Guide cover the needs assessment process in detail.
Blended or 3-day? The qualification is identical. The blended route suits organisations where releasing staff for three consecutive days is operationally difficult. The First Aid at Work (3-Day) course remains the right choice where scheduling is not a constraint.
We don’t make that determination for employers; the responsibility sits with you. But we do provide guidance throughout the enquiry process.
Certification and Validity
On successful completion, learners receive an accredited First Aid at Work certificate valid for 3 years, delivered through Worksafe or FAIB. Highfield and Nuco are available on request.
The certificate is identical to the one awarded through the standard three-day course. Annual refresher training is strongly recommended by the HSE.
Our Basic Life Support and AED Training provides a focused annual skills update between full qualification cycles. Requalification before the certificate expires is required to maintain FAW status. See our First Aid at Work Requalification (2-Day) course for details.
Why Organisations Book With Prima Cura
Most training providers arrive with a course. We arrive with yours.
Before the day, we gather information about your workplace: your incident reporting forms, your internal procedures, the specific hazards your team actually faces. On the day, your trainer works that into every scenario, every discussion, every practical exercise. If your staff work in a care home, they’re not practising on hypothetical office workers. If your team are lone workers, that context shapes how the session runs.
It means the training lands. Not because it was well-delivered in a generic sense, but because it was relevant to the people in the room and the situations they’ll actually encounter.
A few other things that matter to the organisations that book with us:
- 98.9% learner satisfaction across all Prima Cura courses
- All trainers hold Enhanced DBS certificates and maintain ongoing CPD
- We advise honestly on the qualification level at the enquiry stage. If a different course is a better fit for your workforce, we’ll say so before you book, not after
We respond to all enquiries within one working day.
Where We Deliver
We deliver in-house training at your workplace or chosen venue across Manchester, Greater Manchester, and the wider North West. We also deliver nationally across England, including North England, South England, London, and Surrey.
All sessions are led by experienced Prima Cura Training instructors. Groups are capped at 12 per trainer to protect the quality of hands-on learning.
Our associate network means we can deliver across England. You can meet the team on our Associates page.
FAQs
Is blended First Aid at Work training HSE compliant?
Yes. When delivered correctly, blended learning meets the requirements of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and HSE L74. The key requirement is that practical competencies must be physically assessed by a qualified instructor. This course meets that requirement. The face-to-face element is mandatory, runs across two full days, and includes continuous practical assessment. Learners who have not completed the online module cannot attend. The certificate is awarded only when both elements have been completed and all practical competencies passed. That is what distinguishes this route from online-only training, which does not meet HSE requirements.
Is the qualification the same as the three-day course?
Yes. Learners receive the same accredited First Aid at Work certificate, valid for three years, regardless of whether they completed the standard three-day course or the blended route. The qualification is identical. The route is different. Both are delivered through Worksafe and FAIB, and the certificate issued is the same accredited award in both cases.
Do the two face-to-face days need to be consecutive?
No. The two practical days can be scheduled on separate dates to suit your operational requirements. This is one of the key advantages of the blended route over the standard three-day course, and it makes delivery significantly more practical for care providers, schools, and other settings with staffing constraints across Greater Manchester, the wider North West, and nationally. Discuss your scheduling requirements with us when you enquire
Must learners complete the online module before attending the face-to-face sessions?
Yes, without exception. The online module, including the multiple choice assessments within the learning platform, must be completed in full before learners can attend the face-to-face sessions. This is not optional. Learners who have not completed the online element will not be admitted to the practical training. This requirement is what makes the blended route substantively different from turning up to two days of practical training with no prior preparation.
Further Reading
- Workplace First Aid UK Guide: The complete guide to first aid legal obligations, needs assessments, and qualification levels
- EFAW vs FAW: Which Qualification Does Your Business Need? A detailed comparison to help you choose the right course
- Why Online-Only First Aid Training Is Not Compliant: What the HSE requires and why this blended route meets it, where online-only does not
- How to Verify a First Aid Training Provider: What to check before you book with anyone
Related Courses
- First Aid at Work (3 Day)
- First Aid at Work Requalification (2 Day)
- Emergency First Aid at Work (1 Day)
- Annual First Aid Refresher Training
- Emergency First Aid with Life-Threatening Bleeding
Book or Enquire
Book your training or request a quote
Tell us your team size and your sector. We’ll come back with a quote, the right advice on qualification level, and a straight answer on whether this is the best course for your team.
We respond to all enquiries within one working day.
Our Commitment to Quality and Compliance
At Prima Cura Training, all courses reflect current UK guidance and best practice. All trainers are experienced professionals with relevant qualifications and ongoing CPD. Because many of the organisations we support work with vulnerable individuals, all trainers hold Enhanced DBS checks.
This course is reviewed against updates from the Resuscitation Council UK, the Health and Safety Executive, and current UK health and safety legislation, including the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. All content reflects the Resuscitation Council UK 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines.
You can read more on our Quality Assurance and Compliance page.
Reviewed by Stephanie Austin, Owner and Lead Trainer, Prima Cura Training | 25+ years in health and social care | 15+ years as a trainer | Last reviewed: June 2026 | Next review: June 2027
This page is for general guidance only and reflects current UK health and safety legislation, HSE guidance, and Resuscitation Council UK 2025 guidelines at the date of review. It does not constitute legal advice. Employers remain legally responsible for carrying out a first aid needs assessment, determining the appropriate level of first aid provision for their workplace, and ensuring their arrangements comply with the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and the Approved Code of Practice L74. The First Aid at Work Blended qualification is appropriate where a first aid needs assessment determines that the full First Aid at Work qualification is required. The online component of this course does not constitute standalone first aid training and does not independently satisfy any legal first aid obligation.
