St John Ambulance first aid and mental health training courses for UK workplaces. St John Ambulance is the nation’s leading first aid charity, and more than 400,000 people learn how to save a life through their training programmes every year. All courses are HSE-compliant, delivered by qualified St John Ambulance instructors, and lead to certificates recognised by employers across every industry.
Courses cover Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW), First Aid at Work (FAW), requalification, blended paediatric first aid, mental health first aid and fire marshal training. Classroom and on-site delivery options are available, with the widest venue network of any UK first aid provider.
As a charity, income from St John Ambulance training funds their volunteer first aid cover at public events and their work alongside the NHS responding to 999 calls.
First aid courses
Which level you need comes from your first aid needs assessment rather than headcount alone. All certificates are valid for three years.
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)
One-day HSE-compliant course for nominated first aiders in lower-hazard workplaces such as offices, shops and call centres. Gives learners the practical skills to respond confidently to a workplace emergency.
- CPR and AED use
- Choking — adult and child
- Unresponsive casualty and recovery position
- Bleeding control and wound management
- Shock, burns and minor injuries
First Aid at Work (FAW)
Comprehensive three-day HSE-compliant course, normally identified for higher-hazard workplaces and larger organisations. Covers the full EFAW syllabus plus a wider range of emergency scenarios and injury management.
- Everything in EFAW, plus
- Managing an incident and casualty assessment
- Fractures, spinal injuries and dislocations
- Chest injuries and breathing difficulties
- Anaphylaxis, seizures, stroke and diabetic emergencies
- Eye injuries and poisoning
First Aid at Work Requalification (FAWR)
Two-day requalification course for those renewing an existing FAW certificate. Updates practical skills and refreshes knowledge against current HSE guidance.
Book it before your three-year certificate expires. Once lapsed, requalification is no longer available and the full three-day FAW must be retaken — two days becomes three, at greater cost and more time off site.
Blended Paediatric First Aid
Combines online learning with practical classroom training for childcare and education professionals, meeting Ofsted and Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for childcare registration.
The blended format cuts classroom time, which matters when a setting has to release staff and maintain ratios at the same time.
- Infant and child CPR
- Choking in infants and children
- Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis
- Childhood illness and injury management
MHFA England Mental health first aid, certificated by MHFA England
St John Ambulance has delivered Mental Health First Aid in partnership with MHFA England since 2017, formalised by a joint treaty in 2019. Learners on the two-day course receive their certificate from MHFA England rather than from the training provider — the recognised standard for workplace mental health first aid.
HSE guidance has asked employers to consider mental health within their first aid needs assessment since 2018, reinforced in the 2024 update to L74. There is no legal requirement to appoint mental health first aiders, but many organisations now do.
Mental health courses
Mental Health Workplace First Aider
The fuller course, for employees taking on the mental health first aider role. Covers recognising conditions, holding a supportive conversation, responding in a crisis and signposting to professional help.
- Recognising common mental health conditions
- How to have a supportive first aid conversation
- Crisis first aid — suicide, self-harm and panic attacks
- Signposting to professional support
- Reducing stigma in the workplace
Mental Health Workplace Responder
A shorter awareness course for employees who want to recognise the early signs of mental health difficulty in colleagues and offer initial support. Suits whole-team rollout as part of a wider wellbeing programme, alongside a smaller number of trained first aiders.
Fire safety training
Fire Marshal (Fire Warden) Training
Practical one-day course for nominated fire marshals and wardens. Fire marshal and fire warden are the same role — the legislation uses neither term, requiring instead that the responsible person nominates competent people to assist with fire safety measures.
- Fire safety legislation and the responsible person
- How fires start, spread and behave
- Fire prevention and risk reduction
- Evacuation procedures and assembly points
- Fire extinguisher types and safe use
Who should attend
St John Ambulance training questions
Is St John Ambulance better than British Red Cross?
Neither is better for the qualification itself — both deliver HSE-compliant EFAW and FAW, and the certificates carry equal weight. St John Ambulance has the widest venue network and the broadest course range including MHFA England mental health training. The British Red Cross is acknowledged by HSE as a standard setter and includes free Safe Hands membership. Compare all three providers on our first aid training page.
EFAW or FAW — which do we need?
It comes from your first aid needs assessment rather than headcount alone. EFAW suits lower-hazard workplaces; FAW is normally identified where the work itself could cause more serious injury — machinery, chemicals, working at height, vehicles. A large office may need only EFAW; a small workshop may need FAW. Our free needs assessment tool works it out in a couple of minutes.
Who issues the mental health first aid certificate?
MHFA England, not St John Ambulance. St John delivers the training under a partnership formalised in 2019, and successful learners receive an MHFA England certificate identifying them as a Mental Health First Aider. That matters if a client or tender specifies MHFA England certification.
Is the blended paediatric course accepted by Ofsted?
Yes. The blended format meets Ofsted and Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for childcare registration, combining online theory with a practical classroom session. The advantage over a fully classroom course is less time away from the setting, which helps with maintaining staff ratios.
What happens if our FAW certificate has expired?
Requalification is no longer available and the full three-day FAW course must be retaken. There is no retrospective renewal, so diary the expiry a few months ahead — popular venues and dates book up, particularly in spring and autumn.
Related first aid training
Mental Health First Aid certification is issued by MHFA England, and course content and eligibility are set by the provider.