Ligature Response Training
For the settings where the risk is real, the training must be too.
Ligature response training is required for any member of staff working in an environment where there is a foreseeable risk of a ligature emergency. This includes mental health inpatient units, psychiatric wards, secure units, prisons, young offender institutions, and some residential care settings. It is not optional. Clinical governance frameworks, CQC inspection standards, and organisational risk assessments all treat current ligature response training as a core competency requirement for staff in these environments.
This course is designed by practitioners for practitioners. It does not sanitise the subject or reduce it to theory. It prepares delegates to recognise, respond to, and safely manage a ligature emergency, with the calmness, speed and technique that can make the critical difference.
Annual refresher training is recommended, and may be required by your organisational governance framework. View the annual refresher course.
Click here if you’d like to arrange a private course for your colleagues
What You Will Learn
- Understanding ligature risk in clinical and custodial environments
- Ligature points: identifying, assessing and managing them in your specific environment
- Ligature materials, including common items, risk profiles and environmental assessment
- Recognising a ligature emergency and activating the correct response protocol
- Safe approach: maintaining personal safety while starting your response
- Safe cutting technique, including the correct method, correct tools, and correct approach for different ligature configurations
- Casualty management after cutting, including positioning, airway and CPR readiness
- Communication, including alerting colleagues, calling a crash team, and managing bystanders
- Post-incident care: immediate support for the casualty, colleagues, and yourself
- Documentation and incident reporting requirements
- Debriefing and support structures following a ligature incident
Course Details
| Format | Face-to-face; private on-site delivery strongly preferred |
| Duration | Half-day course |
| Group size | Maximum 12 per instructor |
| Certificate | Issued by Chris Garland Training; PDF as standard. Annual refresher recommended. |
| Assessment | Practical observation |
| Venue | At your premises. Delivered at the actual clinical or custodial environment wherever possible. |
Combined Course Option
For settings where staff need both ligature response and Basic Life Support (CPR and AED) training, which is common in acute mental health settings, our Ligature Response and Basic Life Support combined course delivers both in a single day. This reduces the time staff spend away from their roles.
Course Type:
- Face-to-Face training (maximum of 12 learners to 1 instructor).
- Note that this course cannot be delivered online – it’s a practical skill, so you need practical training.
Course Times and Duration:
| Day 1 | |
| Arrive: | • 8.45am |
| Start: | • 9am |
| End: | • 2pm approx |
| Breaks: | • Approx 45 minutes through the day |
| Learning hours: | • 4 1/4 hours Approx. |
| Notes: | • The arrival time allows time to get seated and fill in the course paperwork, etc. • If you are running late, please call us to let us know (01565 746555). • If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start time, you will be turned away and will forfeit your place on the course and any monies paid. |
Venue:
- Scheduled 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.
- You can also arrange to have a private course run at your workplace. Simply fill in our quote request form to request a quotation.
Joining instructions:
- Visit this page to read the course joining instructions.
- Where your course is not being run at our main training centre, you’ll also receive an email with additional joining instructions including the venue address.
Language
- All training and assessment is undertaken in English.
- If you require any reasonable adjustments to enable you to undertake this course, please discuss these with us before making your booking.
Test:
- There is no written assessment.
- You will undertake practical assessments through the course.
- You are required to score 100% to achieve a pass.
- Your practical assessment is where you demonstrate an appropriate response as you would in an emergency situation. This includes;
- dynamic risk assessment for ligature awareness,
- being able to use the ligature cutting tools successfully,
- being able to work on the floor providing CPR & using a defibrillator.
- If you require any reasonable adjustments to enable you to undertake your assessments, please discuss these with us before making your booking.
Certificate:
| Certificate issued by: | Validity Period: | Cost: | Comments: |
| Chris Garland Training: | • 1 year | • Included in booking fee | • PDF format by default. • Paper format available at additional cost (£5 per candidate) |
| Ofqual regulated Awarding Organisation: | • n/a | • No longer available | • In 2023 the Awarding Organisation that we use withdrew their Ofqual Accredited ligature training course. |
Pre-requisites:
| Who could attend: | • You must be over 18 years old to undertake the ligature removal training course due to the topics covered in the syllabus. |
| Education: | • We recommend that you have a minimum of GCSE English & Maths at grade D/Level 1 (or equivalent) before undertaking this course. • This is not mandatory – please contact us to discuss any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs (e.g Dyslexia). |
| Prior knowledge: | • You must hold a current, in-date first aid certificate (e.g. Emergency first aid at work, First aid at work, Outdoor first aid, etc). |
| Physical ability: | • You must be physically able to demonstrate first aid procedures as they would occur in a real life. • As part of your assessment you will be required to provide CPR to a casualty (manikin) who is on the floor. |
Candidates:
| General: | • All classroom courses have a minimum and maximum number of candidates that we can take on a course. |
| Minimum: 6 candidates | • We need a minimum of 6 candidates for the course to run. • Where fewer than 6 are booked on to the course, we will cancel the course 48 hours before it is due to start. • In this unlikely case, we will contact you to discuss transferring your booking to another date or to issue a refund. |
| Maximum: 12 candidates | • For most courses we are limited by the Health & Safety Executive, and (where applicable) by the Awarding Organisation, to a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor. • If you have more than 12 candidates to undertake this training, you may prefer to arrange several private bookings. Click here to contact us and discuss your requirements. |
Geographical coverage:
| Certificate issued by: | England: | Wales: | Scotland: | Northern Ireland: |
| Chris Garland Training: | • Yes | • Yes | • Yes | • Yes |
| Ofqual regulated Awarding Organisation | • Not available | • Not available | • Not available | • Not available |
| Notes: | • We can deliver this course in other countries, however the protocols that we teach meet the current UK practice, protocols & guidance. | |||
Private courses:
- To arrange a private course for yourself or your colleagues, please fill in our quote request form.
Links:
Useful links:
During the course, candidates will get to practice using the following types of ligature cutters;
- Medical shears
- The “Shark” or “Big Fish” style of rescue knife
- Cruze Cutter Professional Safety Ergonomic Box Opener
- Res-Q-Hook
- The Barrington LC1 folding rescue hooked knife
- The Barrington LC-UZI folding rescue hooked knife
- MAC Coltellerie TS01
- MAC Coltellerie TS05
- MAC Coltellerie 697 Rescue
- StatGear SuperVisor XT Auto Escape Tool
- Gill Harness Rescue Tool
- Diving Cutter, High Safety Rescue Fishing Net Line Cutter Scuba Diving Accessory
- Ex-cell UK257 Safety Cutter
- Cable cutters
- Gloves: Typical EN388 Cut level 5 gloves for use with the hooked bladed knives
- Gloves: YENVINE Cut Resistant Gloves, Work Gloves,Digital High Performance Level 5 Protection, Food Grade Kitchen Glove (S)
Supporting Wider Causes
See our Social Value Scorecard.
Request a private course quote | Contact us to discuss your requirements | Call us: 01565 746555
Ligature Response Training
Ian Reed (verified owner) –
The training was exactly as advertised and met all my expectations
ChrisGarland –
Hi Ian.
Thank you for you kind review. I hope that you found the training interesting and useful.
Best regards
Chris
Simeon Yates (verified owner) –
Excellent course I will recommend this course without hesitation.
ChrisGarland –
Hi Simeon,
Thank you for your lovely review. Hope to see you again soon.
Best regards
Chris
Val Jenkinson (verified owner) –
The course was great value for money
ChrisGarland –
Hi Val,
Thank you for your lovely review!
Best regards
Chris
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good delivery & kept it engaging. Would recommend. Good information given. Course was interactive and content was interesting.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Perfect!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “All good”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good pace and easy to follow”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative. A great course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course – Have learnt a lot”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent course, if houses have a ligature kit”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very interesting course. I enjoyed it and the way it was delivered.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “It could not be improved”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Fantastic trainer. Excellent course with everything explained well.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very good informative course, relevant to our place of work.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Trainer very knowledgeable. The practical aspects were very helpful”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent and informative”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & very useful”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Quite a lot of content to go through in 4 hours. The course was good & the trainer very knowledgable & delivered the training well.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course. Very knowledgable trainer”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent! Thank you!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “The course went into lots of detail”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great info – Some new & some reminders”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very enjoyable course. Very informative, excellent trainer, well done Chris.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Chris was very clear on what is required in the event of having to carry out the training in real life. Great course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comment left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very good course”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Nothing to improve. Enjoyed the training.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative and interesting. Chris is very knowledgable and experienced.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “An excellent course. Chris is well versed in his subject matter. Excellent stuff.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great trainer & learnt things I hadn’t known before. Would love to attend a longer, more in-depth course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent course. Good that there was reassurance of doing the best that you can.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really interesting, lovely trainer, wasn’t dragged on, straight to the point, and useful!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very knowledgable trainer, with clear and applicable knowledge and information.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “I think it was informative and useful.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative. I enjoyed the practical elements of the course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very helpful. This will help us moving forward in dealing with X”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really good!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative and interesting.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Enjoyed the ligature training. Hopefully I’ll be able to put it into place if a situation occurred”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Course was run smoothly, instructor very knowledgable with good experience. Overall I enjoyed the course and hopefully will know how to act in case of an incident occurring.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really good equipment – not too much time waiting for equipment & practising. Really informative & made me feel more equipped to deal with each stage of ligature removal.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very Enjoyable course run by a very informative and excellent trainer.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Chris was clear on what is required in the event of having to carry out [what we learnt in] training in real life. An excellent course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really enjoyed the training.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative and interesting. Chris very knowledgable and experienced.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “An excellent course. The course instructor is well versed in his subject matter. Excellent stuff.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great trainer and I learnt loads of new things I’d not known before.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent course. Good that there was the reassurance of doing the best you can.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative! I learnt a lot and will be implementing changes. It’s also opened my eyes in terms of awareness.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A great course”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “As this was my first course I found it very enjoyable. Chris made me feel like I could help in a serious situation & I learnt lots.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & interactive.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Interesting course with a friendly instructor.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & practical.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative, safe & allows you to gain a good knowledge.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Educational.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[No comments left]”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “I found the course worked really well. A great understanding & explained well. Worth going on the course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “100% worth it! Very informative.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative.”