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The demand for ambulance services in Hong Kong is increasing and first aid plays an important role in saving lives. The government recognized first aid training courses offered by four organizations. This study aims to review and discuss the past, present and future of first aid and health training in Hong Kong.

This study adopted a case study approach to investigate the operations and development of the first aid and health training in one of the largest training providers in Hong Kong. Publicly available secondary data, including annual reports, websites, newspapers and social media, were collected and analysed. Using the thematic analysis procedure, researchers familiarised the data collected, generated initial codes, searched for themes, reviewed themes, defined themes and reported the results.

Through data analysis, researchers identified six themes which help to address the research questions regarding the types of first aid and health training courses, quality issue, awareness of first aid in the community and the future delivery of first aid training.

This study provided two implications on both micro and macro levels. At the micro level, training providers can enhance training quality by adopting technology. At the macro level, training providers can continue to advocate and facilitate the integration of first aid into the formal education curriculum. The last section addressed the limitations of this study and provided future research directions.

This study provided insights about the development of the first aid and health education and training. Health-care training providers and policymakers could benchmark the findings from this study and develop appropriate measures for promoting health education.

It has been identified that mental health literacy among the public is poor, with stigmatising attitudes persisting. The public frequently encounter people experiencing mental distress in the workplace, in their families and communities, and may be ill‐equipped to provide appropriate support. Mental Health First Aid is a 12‐hour mental health awareness programme that seeks to address this. The course aims to train the wider public, and staff in both statutory and nonstatutory sectors, in the knowledge and skills needed to engage with someone experiencing mental health problems. ‘Mental Health First Aid’, first developed in Australia, has now become an international training programme, and is currently being rolled out across the UK. This paper summarises the development and existing research of the programme, and its present position in the four UK regions.

The first-aid courses organized by the Youth Red Cross Carinthia (Austria) had a quality problem, necessitating a professionalization in teaching and time structure. This research aimed to enhance the quality and effectiveness of these courses by implementing modified lesson studies with non-professional trainers. The paper presents the realization process, empirical research and results obtained by applying the first-aid curriculum.

Around 22 lesson study first-aid courses (14 classes with 2 cycles, 8 with 3 cycles) were conducted and evaluated in different Austrian school types. An observation sheet was created to evaluate attention and competencies. Interviews were conducted with both teachers and students to validate the results.

The research findings demonstrate that lesson studies can significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of first-aid courses. Inexperienced and experienced first-aid teachers significantly improved their teaching skills. Newly educated first-aid teachers showed substantial improvement, leading to the introduction of an induction period and coaching opportunity within the Youth Red Cross Carinthia.

This is the first lesson study conducted in a non-academic context. It highlights the adaptation process of Carinthian first-aid courses. It illustrates how lesson studies impact lesson clarity, instructional variety, student engagement in the learning process, student outcome, student feedback and teaching effectiveness in a non-academic context. It contributes to the literature on the application of lesson study in first-aid education and provides insight into the benefits of this approach in enhancing the quality of first-aid training.

An emerging trend in Australian workplaces is to appoint staff trained in mental health first aid as mental health first aid officers (MHFAOs), similar to physical first aid officers (PFAOs) focused on physical health emergencies. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the nature of MHFAO roles in workplaces and develop recommendations for other workplaces.

A case study methodology was used, with semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with multiple individuals within five diverse organisations.

The results indicated that organisations tended to differ in their approach to implementation, based on their level of experience. There was a strong agreement across organisations on the benefits and challenges they have experienced with the role.

Organisational representatives highlighted some important differences between PFAO and MHFAO roles. Respondents across all organisations agreed that MHFA training should ideally be offered to all staff if feasible, not only MHFAOs. The greatest challenge experienced by respondents was inadequate support to, and internal resourcing for, MHFAO roles. Respondents suggested that workplaces provide more support and training to MHFAOs.

This is the first study to explore and describe the experiences of workplaces with MHFAOs. Recommendations are made to assist interested organisations in these efforts.

A major training activity rarely mentioned in journals is reviewed. First Aid is literally a lifesaver, rather than metaphorically so as in much training. The change from a relatively amateur to a more professional approach is spelled out.

A distinction must be drawn between a dismissal on the one hand, and on the other a repudiation of a contract of employment as a result of a breach of a fundamental term of that contract. When such a repudiation has been accepted by the innocent party then a termination of employment takes place. Such termination does not constitute dismissal (see London v. James Laidlaw & Sons Ltd (1974) IRLR 136 and Gannon v. J. C. Firth (1976) IRLR 415 EAT).

There has been little research into the use and efficacy of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) across UK workplaces. This paper aims to investigate the implementation of MHFA across six UK organisations, identifying key barriers and facilitators.

Twenty-seven workplace representatives were recruited from six organisations through purposive sampling and took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of workplace MHFA. The data underwent thematic analysis, identifying key themes around implementation.

Implementation varied across organisations, including different reasons for initial interest in the programme, and variable ways that MHFA-trained employees operated post-training. Key barriers to successful implementation included negative attitudes around mental health, the perception that MHFA roles were onerous, and employees’ reluctance to engage in the MHFA programme. Successful implementation was perceived to be based on individual qualities of MHFA instructors and good practice demonstrated by trained individuals in the workplace. The role of the inner organisational setting and employee characteristics were further highlighted as barriers and facilitators to effective implementation.

MHFA is a complex intervention, presenting in different ways when implemented into complex workplace settings. As such, traditional evaluation methods may not be appropriate for gaining insights into its effectiveness. Future evaluations of workplace MHFA must consider the complexity of implementing and operationalising this intervention in the workplace.

This study is the first to highlight the factors affecting successful implementation of MHFA across a range of UK workplaces.

Highlights the improvement in the safety record of Birse Civils (NW) that resulted, at least in part, from a training program that won a regional training award in the most recent UK National Training Awards.

Gives the inside story of what gave rise to the training “need”, how the training was developed, the numbers and grades of employee trained, and the outcomes of the training.

Demonstrates that the four training programs described – site‐safety management, Construction Skills Certification Scheme, first‐aid training and “appointed person” training for lifting operations – have helped to bring about an almost unprecedented zero accident rate for the company.

Demonstrates how the training helped to improve flexibility, company reputation and employee morale at Birse Civils (NW).

Contains much to interest employers in high‐risk sectors such as construction.

It has long been the law that in factories, on farms and in offices and shops, first‐aid treatment must be made available to employees. About four Acts of Parliament are involved and about forty bits of subordinate legislation going back to the turn of the century — and all of them specifying in some detail precisely what the employer had to provide in the way of equipment, facilities and trained first‐aiders in ratio to staff numbers. All that is being changed and importantly so for those employed in workplaces not previously covered by requirements (that is, those in education, in cultural and religious organisations and in medical and other services). Some new Regulations and a Code of Practice (together with guidance notes) will apply from 1st July next. Pursuing a long term objective the Health and Safety Commission is bringing under the health and safety umbrella ALL places of employment (save only domestic service) and at the same time somewhat simplifying the legal requirements which exist. Other requirements are, however, made more commonsense and can be enforced indirectly if that becomes necessary.

Mental health training programs exist to assist the public with aiding people experiencing mental distress. This study aims to examine the five steps of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) ALGEE action plan to assess which steps were used most frequently and how personal characteristics were associated with utilization.

Individuals completing MHFA either at public schools with students ranging in age from 5 to 18 or at a university in the Northern central area of the USA were invited to participate. Prior to MHFA, participants completed an initial questionnaire, which included demographic questions and questions assessing the use of the MHFA ALGEE action plan, which is a plan to provide help to someone experiencing mental distress. Follow-up questionnaires were completed every quarter to assess the ALGEE action plan utilization at three-, six- and nine-months after completion of MHFA. A comparison group of individuals, not completing MHFA, was also included.

After completing MHFA, individuals demonstrated an increase in using the ALGEE action plan at three- and six-months, but by nine-months there was a reduction in utilization. In general, age, gender and race did not usually influence the usage of the ALGEE action plan.

Although other studies have measured the efficacy of MHFA, those studies have focused on participant predicted behaviors. The present study measured self-reported behavior and compared the behaviors to a comparison group over time.