First Aid “+F” Bolt-On

First Aid “+F” Bolt-On Course

You do not need to repeat your first aid training from scratch. You need the part that is missing.

If you already hold an in-date Emergency First Aid at Work or First Aid at Work certificate, but need a “+F” certificate to access Forestry England (Forestry Commission) land for deer stalking, commercial arboricultural contracts, or other work, this bolt-on course adds exactly the content that is missing. You will not need to repeat first aid training you have already completed.

Forestry England’s first aid policy is specific about what “+F” recognition requires. Certification or supporting correspondence must explicitly note “forestry context”, “remote sites”, or “+F”. A standard EFAW or FAW certificate, however current, does not carry this recognition on its own. This bolt-on course closes that gap.

Who is this for?

• Anyone with an in-date EFAW or FAW certificate who needs “+F” recognition for access to Forestry England land
• Deer stalkers
• Those undertaking commercial arboricultural contracts on Forestry England property
• Hauliers (see the Driver CPC note below)
• Anyone seeking this specific learning, regardless of current first aid status, though the course assumes existing first aid knowledge as its foundation

A note on “core operations” and certificate recognition: Forestry England’s policy defines core operations as harvesting, civil engineering, mechanised ground preparation, planting, fencing, pesticide application, forest nursery activities, or similar work, including lone workers and site supervisors in these roles. Anyone undertaking core operations needs “+F” recognition. Those in non-core roles may find “+F” recognition useful, even where it is not strictly required.

Driver CPC note: Chris Garland Training does not deliver Driver CPC training. This bolt-on course does not count towards the Forest Haulage Safety for Professional Driver Certificate of Professional Competence. Hauliers should check their specific CPC requirements separately.

What You Will Learn

This course covers the Forestry Commission-specific (PPG59) elements that a standard EFAW or FAW course does not include:

• Recognising and treating extreme cold (hypothermia) and extreme heat (hyperthermia)
• Catastrophic bleeding, including tourniquet application and haemostatic agents
• Adder snake bites
• Anaphylaxis
• Crush injuries
• Lyme disease: recognition, safe tick removal, and when further treatment is required
• Applying first aid skills on remote sites, where professional help may be a considerable distance away

A note on syllabus updates: the Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work syllabuses are set by the HSE. As a result of the European Resuscitation Guidelines 2025 and the UK Resuscitation Council 2025 guidelines coming into effect from January 2026, the syllabus requirements of both the HSE and the Forestry Commission are likely to change from that date. Where they do, we will update our course content accordingly.

Course Details

Physical requirements: you will need to demonstrate first aid procedures as you would in a real activity environment, so you should be physically capable of doing so before attending.

Course syllabus:

Note: The Emergency/First Aid at Work course syllabus is set by the Health and Safety Executive. However, as a result of the European Resuscitation Guidelines 2025 and the UK’s Resuscitation Council 2025 guidelines coming into effect from January 2026, the course syllabus requirements of the HSE & Forestry Commission are also likely to change from January. If and when they do, our course syllabus will be updated accordingly.

• Recognising and treating;
  • extreme cold (hypothermia)
  • extreme heat (hyperthermia)
  • catastrophic bleeding
  • Adder snake bites
  • Anaphylaxis
• The use of tourniquets and haemostatic agents
• Crush injuries
• Lyme disease

Pre-requisites:

• You’ll need to be able to demonstrate first aid procedures as you would in a real activity environment. So you must be physically capable of doing this to pass the course.
• We recommend that you have at least GCSE grade D/Level 1 English & Maths before undertaking this course.
  • This is not mandatory – please contact us to discuss any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs.
• The First Aid +F Bolt-On Course is suitable for anyone over 16 looking to undertake the responsibilities associated with being a nominated first aider.

Test:

• Practical observation:
  • You’ll need to demonstrate giving first aid for forestry workers as you would in an emergency situation, such as providing CPR on the floor.
  • You need to score 100% to achieve a pass.
• Exam:
  • You will also undertake a multiple-choice question paper.
  • The pass mark is 70%.
  • There are 20 questions (14/20 correct to pass).
  • If you require any reasonable adjustments to enable you to undertake your assessments, please discuss these with us before making your booking.

Course duration:

• Generally we run these courses from 9.30am until 1pm.
• Typically 3 hours of guided learning time with your instructor/assessor. This includes the time allowed for the assessments, but does not include for lunch/coffee breaks.

Certificate:

• Certified by Chris Garland Training:
  • PDF format certificates are issued as standard
  • Your certificate is valid for 3 years.

Candidates:

• All classroom courses have a minimum and maximum number of candidates that we can take on a course.
  • Minimum: We need a minimum of 4 candidates on an open/scheduled course for the course to run. Click here for more details.
  • Maximum: We are limited by the Health & Safety Executive, and (where applicable) by the Awarding Organisation, to a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor.
• Should you have more than 12 candidates to be trained, please contact us to discuss your training needs.

Geographical coverage:

• The First Aid +F Bolt-On Course is available to candidates throughout the UK.
• We can deliver it in other countries, but the protocols that we teach meet the current UK practice, protocols & guidance.

Venue:

• Our scheduled/open First Aid +F Bolt-On Courses run at our training centre in Knutsford, Cheshire.
• Visit our Joining Instructions page to read about what you will need to bring/wear, etc.

Joining instructions:

• Visit this page to read the course joining instructions.

Private courses:

• To arrange a private First Aid +F Bolt-On Course for yourself or your colleagues, please fill in our quote request form.

Links:

• Forestry England (aka Forestry Commission) website first aid page.

Which Course Do You Actually Need?

• No current first aid qualification, low-risk role on Forestry England land: EFAW+F (1 day, or blended)
• No current first aid qualification, core operations role: FAW+F (3 days)
• You already hold an in-date EFAW or FAW certificate and just need “+F” recognition: this bolt-on course

If you are unsure, the Forestry England First Aid Policy sets out the full requirements. Alternatively, contact us to discuss your situation.