GMP not compliant with first aid training guidelines

The inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing has heard that Greater Manchester Police was not providing the recommended hours of first aid training at the time of the terrorist attack.

Between 2014 and 2020, Greater Manchester Police was not compliant with the licensing requirements for the First Aid Learning Programme because it did not meet the guidelines for the number of hours officers should spend on the training.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry told the inquiry that it was a deliberate decision to provide six hours of training on the first aid skills course, rather than the nine recommended by the Health and Safety Executive.

The inquiry also heard at the time of the attack on May 22 2017 officers did not receive refresher training every year as recommended.

Assistant Chief Constable Iain Raphael from the College of Policing told the inquiry he believed the college, the professional body for policing, should have more powers to deal with a force which was not complying with requirements for first aid training. The training recommendations for all forces were set to be changed to include first responder interventions, such as actions to stop catastrophic bleeding and open airways.

However, the hearing was told the new training would not come into force until January next year.