Looking at running a YFA course at my squadron. And ran into a stumbling block.
I don’t have a FAAW or activity first aid. So have been told categorically there is no way I can run teach or assess cadets.
I’m a Community First Responder for an NHS Ambulance Trust. And am on call for normally 12 hours a week plus. Having exposure to real patients and real situations.
And am a little frustrated by this. Is there a reason why my qualification and experience isn’t recognised by the ACO?!
Even Doctors and Nurses - who have a higher degree of medical knowledge than a FR - have to go through the FAAW course before they can train or assess on YFA.
Because the Corps doesn’t recognise it (rightly or wrongly)…see ACTO 8 Annex B. Only the qualifications listed are allowed to do first aid training for cadets/adults
Standardisation?[/quote]
Firstly, if they don’t know the syllabus and its limitations, they won’t know what to teach or to what level to assess to. Secondly, their level of medical knowledge is substantially higher and there’s always the danger that they’ll ‘over-teach’.
Doing the FAAW course ensures that they are fully aware of the depth of knowledge\skills to be taught and assessed.
There in lies the problem, it’s real and on a regular basis, unlike the rest of us with FAAW, who do our training each 3 years and might get the occasional thing to deal with in our day to day lives, inbetween this. I’ve ha FAAW for 26 years and apart from the occasional cut or similar I’ve not had to do much. Most of my first aid has been in the home, but having kids not to be unexpected.
Also for some reason I’ve never understood the SJA have been allowed to have a monopoly on first aid training in the cadet forces, not just the ATC.
The MOD required first aid at work, minimum, to act as first aider on cadet activities. ACFA worked hard to reduce this to SJA AFA for cadet forces and the equivalent recognised qualifications are now found in JSP 535.
HSE actually revised FAW act and doctors, nurses and paramedics currently registered with the relevant clinical council and in practise are exempt from holding an FAW certificate to provide first aid cover.
To say doctors can’t teach is a bit harsh, the word doctor originally meant teacher! As most, if not all, doctors will at some time be responsible for training junior doctors.
Anyway, it comes down to the YFA being a SJA product and to teach this syllabus we have to follow SJA rules, their train set and all! It’s not about the clinical/first aid experience of the individual, but about the standards of training being applied. Why they have the monopoly is anyone’s guess.