The Health and Safety Authority has released the following statement for the transition from the OFA QQI Standard to PHECC’s FAR Education and Training Standard. 

22nd November 2017

7th Statement of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to transition to Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) First Aid Response (FAR)  Education and Training Standard 

In the previous statement of 31st August 2017, the HSA announced its intention that as and from 1st January 2018, it would only recognise the PHECC FAR standard as meeting the needs of occupational first aid (OFA) in workplaces. The HSA has determined in consultation with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and PHECC that dual recognition of QQI 5N1207 and PHECC FAR will continue until 31st May 2018. Thereafter the HSA will only recognise PHECC FAR. 
This recent decision takes into account PHECC’s current review of the FAR Education and Training Standard (2014). The review is addressing our mutual stakeholders concerns including:

• the instructor to student ratio
• the duration of the course;
• the duration of the refresher training.

Recommendations for dealing with these concerns and other areas focusing on FAR content and delivery will be forthcoming with review conducted by PHECC Education and Standards Committee. 

To date there are 33 PHECC Recognised Institutions approved for FAR provider courses and 14 RIs approved for FAR instructor courses. In addition there are other applications currently being processed by PHECC.    Recent developments for the OFA to FAR transition involve PHECC creating an on-line electronic portal for RI and FAR course applications. 
Updates about the FAR review and the transition work are provided on the PHECC website.