First Aid Training

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 April 2014

Thursday, 10 April 2014

Questions (189)

Denis Naughten

Question:

189. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason American resuscitation guidelines are used for first aid training in Ireland rather than the European guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17122/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) provides the international guidance for principal resuscitation organisations worldwide. Representatives of ILCOR include the European Resuscitation Council (ERC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation.

The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is the independent statutory agency with responsibility for standards, education and training in the field of pre-hospital emergency care in Ireland. I am advised that the Council's Medical Advisory Committee has adopted the current (2010) ILCOR Guidelines and published Clinical Practice Guidelines for basic and advanced life support. PHECC has also published cardiac first response (CFR) standards along with a comprehensive CFR training package.

The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) use the AHA and PHECC’s cardiac first response training materials to train both healthcare professionals and community responder groups. Resuscitation officers in hospitals were traditionally AHA instructors and hence there is a long standing history of AHA course delivery in the “in-hospital” setting. However, IHF instructors are increasingly offering dual AHA and PHECC accredited courses and certification to medical and nursing staff and also to community responder groups.