The Dangers of Sub-Standard Healthcare Training: Why Candidates and Agencies Must Comply with UK Standards

The delivery of sub-standard training for healthcare professionals, such as using inadequate equipment for Basic Life Support (BLS) or providing Manual Handling instruction entirely over video, is not only irresponsible but also a violation of key UK standards. These practices fail to meet the requirements of the Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF), guidelines from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), General Medical Council (GMC), Resuscitation Council UK, and Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Both candidates and agencies have a legal and professional responsibility to ensure compliance, as the consequences of inadequate training can be severe.

Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF): The Foundation of Compliance

The CSTF provides the national standards for mandatory and statutory training in the healthcare sector. It explicitly requires that practical training is delivered for subjects like BLS and Manual Handling. Key excerpts include:

• BLS (Resuscitation): “Learners must demonstrate practical application of life-saving techniques using appropriate equipment such as feedback-enabled manikins. Training must replicate realistic scenarios to ensure competency in critical situations.”

• Manual Handling: “Learners must undertake practical demonstrations to ensure the safe movement of patients and equipment. Training should include direct observation and feedback by a qualified instructor.”

Providers offering video-only training for Manual Handling or using non-standard equipment, such as pillows for BLS, do not meet these requirements. Agencies and candidates using such providers risk delivering sub-standard care that fails to comply with NHS staffing framework expectations.

Regulatory Requirements: The Role of the NMC and GMC

Healthcare professionals are bound by their regulatory codes to maintain competence in all areas of practice.

• The NMC Code (2015):
  • “You must practise effectively by ensuring that any care or advice you provide is evidence-based.”
  • “You must preserve safety by recognising and working within the limits of your competence.”
• The GMC’s Good Medical Practice:
  • “You must keep your professional knowledge and skills up to date.”
  • “You must be competent in all aspects of your work.”

Resuscitation Council UK: Setting the Standard for BLS

The Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines (2021) mandate the use of appropriate, feedback-enabled manikins for BLS training. These guidelines specify:

• “Learners must practise skills on manikins that simulate human anatomy, allowing for accurate feedback on compression depth, rate, and release.”
• “Effective training requires hands-on practice to ensure the competency required to save lives in real scenarios.”

Training without proper equipment deprives candidates of the opportunity to develop the muscle memory and precision necessary for life-saving interventions.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE): Legal Obligations for Manual Handling

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) require that training is:

• “Suitable and sufficient to the nature of the work.”
• Delivered in a way that ensures the worker can “carry out the task safely.”

Video-only training fails this standard because it lacks the hands-on assessment and correction needed to ensure safe practice. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also mandates that employers provide adequate training to reduce risks to health and safety. Agencies relying on sub-standard manual handling training leave themselves exposed to legal liabilities and enforcement action.

Responsibilities of Agencies and Candidates

Agencies:

• • Agencies are responsible for ensuring that all staff placed in clinical environments meet the CSTF and regulatory standards.
  • Accepting certificates from providers that fail to deliver practical training not only risks patient safety but also undermines compliance with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) guidelines and NHS framework agreements.
  • Agencies must verify that training providers meet CSTF requirements and provide practical, hands-on sessions for all relevant topics.

Candidates:

• • Healthcare professionals have a personal responsibility to ensure their training is up to date and aligns with the standards set by the CSTF, NMC, GMC, and other regulators.
  • Using sub-standard training providers jeopardises professional registration and risks disciplinary action if competency is called into question.

Why Training Standards Must Be Upheld

While challenges in the healthcare sector may tempt agencies or candidates to seek shortcuts, there is no justification for compromising on training quality. Training that fails to meet UK standards not only puts patients at risk but also exposes candidates and agencies to professional, legal, and reputational harm.

• A Matter of Life and Death:
  Inadequate BLS training could mean the difference between life and death for a patient in cardiac arrest. Without proper hands-on training, healthcare professionals may lack the confidence or skills to act effectively in an emergency.
• Legal and Professional Accountability:
  Healthcare workers who fail to demonstrate competency due to sub-standard training risk losing their professional registration, being held liable for negligence, or facing regulatory sanctions.
• Reputational Damage:
  Agencies associated with sub-standard training risk losing the trust of clients, NHS partners, and candidates.

Our Commitment to High Standards

We are dedicated to ensuring that all healthcare training meets the highest standards. Robust policies, thorough risk assessments, and significant investment in professional-grade equipment ensure that every candidate we train is fully prepared to deliver safe and effective care.

Certificates from providers who fail to meet CSTF requirements, including practical hands-on training, will not be accepted. Furthermore, industry leaders, audit teams, and NHS frameworks are working collectively to identify and eradicate these dangerous practices.

Agencies and candidates are urged to take their responsibilities seriously. Training isn’t just a tick-box exercise—it’s a foundation for safe practice, professional integrity, and patient care. Cutting corners is not an option when lives are at stake. Always choose training that meets CSTF, NMC, GMC, and HSE standards to protect yourself, your patients, and your career.