First Aid Policy

1. Statement of Policy

This policy is required to comply with The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. The Force is at all times to be equipped with a sufficient number of competent staff to administer first aid in the workplace as required by the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.

This policy applies to all Dyfed-Powys Police employees, which in this context includes police officers, members of all police staff (including staff who are temporary/working via an agency /associates/contractors/seconded), special constables, volunteers, lay visitors and all people who, for the time being, are placed with Dyfed-Powys Police under the Force Work Experience, Modern Apprenticeship or Cadet Schemes. The policy applies to all categories of Dyfed-Powys Police employees, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary and to any employee accessing and using Force assets and property.

Employees are responsible for taking reasonable care of themselves and others, and must co-operate with their employers to enable the employer to discharge their legal obligations.

 

2. Policy Scope

The Force will ensure that all Police Officers and designated Police Staff are competent to give First Aid assistance corresponding with the expectations of their role.

To achieve this, First Aid training is mandatory for all police officers and nominated first aiders.  The level of first aid training is role specific and tailored to meet accepted national standards announced by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The First Aid Learning Programme has been developed by the College of Policing and quality assured against the standards above. An independent accredited body is used to ensure approved delivery and certification is provided, ensuring competency of the First Aid training.

Trainers who deliver the first aid programme will have the necessary skills, knowledge and competence to conduct such training.

Beyond that, local training needs analysis, combined with adequate risk assessment of the requirements of a role or function, will identify the appropriate level of training applicable in a particular case.

Individual managers and supervisors who are responsible for the planning and coordination of policing operations will, where the risk assessment identifies a potential requirement for First Aid, ensure that appropriately trained staff are readily available when the operation takes place.

The Force is at all times to be equipped with a sufficient number of competent staff to administer first aid in the workplace, as required by the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.

Accurate records of injuries to staff and treatments given are to be recorded on the on-line incident reporting system on the Force intranet.

First aid training delivered will be recorded and maintained on the TRENT system and easily accessible.

Qualified first aiders are permitted to treat non staff (clients/contractors/visitors to site etc.) if the situation is assessed to be one of an emergency where there is a need to prevent further injury or loss of life until Paramedics are present to take over.

Record of all treatments given must be recorded online on the Force incident system.

 

3.  Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

The policy will ensure compliance with the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 by ensuring all first aid risks are considered, and that they are reduced where possible.

• Adherence with 2021 European Resuscitation Guidelines.
• Follows evidence based treatment recommendations from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Science Evidence Evaluation and Review System (SEERS).
• That the training provided is in compliance with UK and European Resuscitation and First Aid Guidelines 2021.
• That individuals are competent in the delivery of first aid;
• That first aid training delivered meets nationally accepted standards of competence;
• That the Force is equipped with a sufficient number of competent staff to administer first aid in the workplace;
• Clear accountability and ownership by managers and individuals for the implementation of those elements of the policy assigned to them;
• That accurate records are recorded and maintained in respect of injuries to staff and treatments given, and first aid training delivered.

 

Communication

The policy will be placed on the Force’s Policy intranet page. There will also be a link from the Health and Safety intranet site to this policy and it will be highlighted to staff and officers via intranet bulletins and / or hard copy as it is reviewed and updated.

The Police Federation and Unison will be encouraged to make their members aware of the document and to be involved in the management and review of the document.

Topics are also bought to the attention of Senior Managers at Performance Events.

 

Decision making

The Force has a Health and Safety Committee Group which is chaired by the ACC. It meets quarterly to examine issues of concern or relevance to Force activities.  Further details on the Committee Group can be found on the Health and Safety intranet site.  ‘The Committee terms of reference’ are available on the Health and Safety intranet site.

The Committee Group is also supported by Area Health and Safety Committees and Senior Management Departmental meetings, including Clinical Governance group.

Members of the Committee Group, along with other committees, groups or individuals as deemed appropriate, will be consulted on policies and procedures.  Consultations, unless otherwise agreed, will be co-ordinated by the Health and Safety Department.

 

Employer Duties

For the purposes of this policy, the employer is defined as the Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, having direction and control of “employees”, as defined above.

In addition to the duty of care to the public, through managers and supervisors the Chief Constable has a duty to take reasonable care to ensure that staff do not suffer any reasonably foreseeable injuries at work.

This includes a duty to ensure that:

• workplaces are safe and healthy
• the provision of First Aid is “adequate and appropriate in the circumstances”.
• to ensure that an appropriate risk assessment is undertaken and maintained in relation to the provision of trained staff and facilities for First Aid.

In engaging of this general duty, Senior Managers and Heads of Department will ensure an assessment of the first aid needs of each workplace under their control is done, and put in place the appropriate / required arrangements to provide adequate First Aid cover.

 

Employee Duties

All “employees” as defined above have duties under section 7 and 8 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, as extended and amplified by the Police (Health and Safety) Act 1997, which is outlined in the Force Health and Safety Policy.

In particular, with relation to First Aid, members of staff must:

• not set out to cause incidents resulting in need for first aid;
• inform managers and supervisors of any staff needing first aid treatment;
• not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of first aid;
• participate in first aid training if course made available;
• familiarise themselves with the location of all first aiders in their building.

 

Enforcement and Reporting

It is the responsibility of all members of staff, officers, supervisors and managers to ensure compliance with this policy and to ensure they act in a manner to ensure the safety of themselves and others.

In the exercise of their responsibilities, all members of staff will adhere to the health and safety guidance documents.

While health and safety legislation sets minimum standards of operation the Force is committed to promoting a positive health and safety culture, and to continually improve on our safety performance through an on-going series of audits, inspections and monitoring of working practices. 

 

4.  Options and Contingencies

Risk Assessment

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 states that the decision on the numbers of required first aiders and the level of training they receive is based on the assessment of risk.  In conjunction with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 as amended, the assessment should identify hazardous work activities and workplaces and give an indication of what first aid provisions are required.

Factors for consideration in assessing the risk are:

• the size and nature of the workforce – the number of staff, disabled staff, lone workers, trainees and volunteers;
• the distribution of the workforce – the number and size of premises and shift patterns worked;
• access to external accident and emergency facilities – local hospital, ambulance – distance from the work premises; facilities at the hospital;
• accident statistics from accident records, RIDDOR reports, sickness levels;
• arrangements between Owners / Occupiers where premises are shared;
• contingency plans to cover absence of trained first aid personnel.

A separate risk assessment has been undertaken for the carriage and administration of Nyxoid (Naloxone) to the public as part of the organisations First Aid provision. 

 

First Aid Equipment

Territorial Inspectors and Heads of Department will ensure that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the first aid requirements for their area(s) are undertaken and that First Aiders have access to suitable and appropriate first aid equipment.

All establishments, without exception, will provide at least one first aid box, and within custody at least one AED (Automated External Defibrillator), which are regularly maintained and replenished.

Further detail on locations of AED’s and first aid kit contents are available from the Health and Safety Department and from the Force Communication Centre (FCC)

All First Aid equipment provided must be:

• stored in a prominent location where it is highly visible;
• maintained and checked as directed to ensure it remains serviceable and available for immediate use if required

Appropriate signage is displayed to identify who your first aider is, where they can be located and how to contact them.

Storage of Nyxoid (Nalxone) will be held in centralised points, by a nominated individual, on each division to ensure the product expiration dates are monitored, recalled and renewed as required.

 

First Aid Personnel

Inspectors, Sergeants and Heads of Department will ensure that an adequate number of ‘suitable persons’ (to be known as Nominated First Aiders) is available to give first aid treatment at work.  

Police Officers will, where possible, be the nominated first aiders for sites.  In locations or Departments where that is not possible, a business case must be submitted via the Departmental Manager to Learning and Development Services requesting that police staff receive suitable first aid training.

In addition, Heads of Department will consider the need to supplement the number of Nominated First Aiders with a number of Appointed Persons.  Appointed Persons are not trained in First Aid to the same degree as Nominated First Aiders, but are designated to deal with first aid issues in an emergency when no First Aider is readily available. Appointed Persons may, for instance, cover for the temporary absence of a First Aider from the workplace.

Heads of Departments will also ensure that they identify Nominated First Aiders and Appointed Persons and they are well publicised within the workplace.

The number of required first aiders is determined by risk assessment.  There is no precise ratio for Nominated First Aiders to members of staff, but Dyfed-Powys Police consider the HSE Approved Codes of Practice recommendations.

Nominated First Aiders will have completed the relevant Module of the First Aid Skills Police programme and Appointed Persons will have completed the relevant Module of the First Aid Skills Police programme.

 

Additional Training

Risk assessments within individual Sites / Departments will determine where the risk of injury is perceived at a higher level and this will dictate the level of any supplementary training necessary.

 

Record Keeping

Heads of Departments will ensure that accurate records are maintained in respect of first aid training and incidents where injuries and illnesses have received treatment by First Aiders.

 

Additional Information

Additional information and guidance for managers and staff is provided on the ‘Health and Safety’ intranet home page.

Advice is also available from the Health & Safety Department and the Lead First Aid Trainer in Learning and Development.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Managers with Areas of Control

Departmental Heads or their designated representatives have a particular responsibility for those elements of the policy delegated to them:

• ensuring the implementation of this policy.
• ensuring the provision of appropriate first aid training.
• ensuring those who are responsible for the planning and coordination of policing operations will, where the risk assessment identifies a potential requirement for first aid, ensure that appropriately trained staff are readily available when the operation takes place.
• first aid training needs / delivery within their area of control are effectively managed and co-ordinated;
• the Lead First Aid Trainer is apprised of any local variations in the level of trained First Aiders;
• first aid equipment provided is stored in a prominent position and maintained and checked as directed to ensure it remains serviceable and available for immediate use if required;
• accurate records of first aid training are maintained;
• accurate records and incidents where injuries and illnesses affecting staff have received treatment by First Aiders are maintained.

 

Nominated First Aiders and Police Officers

Shall ensure that;

• their skills are kept to the required standard;
• signage to indicate the person responsible for the First Aid is displayed within their designated area of responsibility.
• First Aid kits in premises or vehicles and personal issue resuscitation packs, (where applicable), are regularly checked for location and visibility, and the contents replenished to conform to the required standard.
• accurate records and incidents where injuries and illnesses affecting staff have received treatment and are appropriately recorded on the on-line incident reporting system.

All police officers, police staff and force volunteers 

All police officers, police staff and volunteers should comply with this policy and ensure that they comply with related Dyfed-Powys policies:

• Fire Policy
• Health and Safety Policy

 

5.  Take action and review

The Senior Health and Safety Manager and Assistant will undertake monitoring of the policy, either reporting it as still “fit for purpose” or submitting a revised draft for approval by the Health and Safety Committee Group, to enable it to undertake a regular review, (see below).

The monitoring will take account of;

• The policy’s effectiveness, as assessed by the COG and internal / external audit.
• Any changes to legislation or guidance / best practice issued by the Health and Safety Executive or other relevant bodies.
• Changes in working practices, Force structures or personnel.
• Challenges to the policy.
• Any identified inefficiencies in relation to implementation.

 

REVIEW

The policy will be formally reviewed by the Health and Safety Committee Group on a 2-yearly basis.

The Policy may be subject to scrutiny by His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, the Health and Safety Executive and other relevant parties as appropriate.

 

WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THIS POLICY

Please raise any issues to the Health and Safety Committee Meeting or contact the Senior Health and Safety Manager in case of any query regarding the policy content.

 

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

 

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above.

An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty. 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: April 2024