There are many people involved in providing care through the NDIS (or National Disability Insurance Scheme) – that benefit greatly from accredited first aid training.
You might be a close family member who’s taken on the role of caring for an NDIS recipient. Alternatively, you might be a professional carer working within the disabled sector. In either case, first aid training is a vital tool for providing care for someone with a disability.Of course, the NDIS caters for a wide variety of people with different needs. But the reality is that many NDIS recipients are potentially vulnerable when it comes to serious incidents and accidents. Some disabilities can mean a person is more likely to suffer from falls and other injuries. Some might limit their capacity to administer their own first aid or call for assistance. In situations like these, the primary duty of care often falls to the carer. You’re the one responsible for making sure your charge gets the care they need – and in severe cases, you’re the only person on the scene until medical assistance arrives. As such, it’s quite important to know what to do in case of a medical emergency.
The good news is that First Aid training is relatively easy to arrange.
First Aid Pro is a registered training organisation operating in all states of Australia, providing high quality accredited courses in first aid and related topics. So whether you’re hoping to be trained in basic first aid, you want to know the essentials of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (better known as CPR), you need to learn some strategies for manual handling, or you’re looking to understand the basics of emergency life support, we’ve got training that can provide you with the skills and knowledge you need.
How Did The National Disability Insurance Scheme Come About, And What Does It Do?
The NDIS started back in March 2013, when the government passed the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act (2013). Despite the name, the scheme is not actually a form of insurance. The word refers to the scheme using insurance-like principles to make it sustainable in the long term, and the way it’s designed to “insure” people to provide access to funding and support if they receive (or are born with) a significant disability. There’s no need to “buy” insurance to receive the NDIS – it’s entirely publicly funded.
The NDIS is designed to provide financial support to Australians with significant and often permanent disabilities. The scheme works on a case-by-case basis, and can provide funding for carers and medical professionals, upgrades to a property providing facilities such as wheelchair access, and even high-grade specialised equipment such as motorised wheelchairs and prosthetics.
It’s estimated that by 2025, more than 500,000 Australians will have received the support of some kind through the NDIS.
How Widely Is The NDIS Used In Queensland?
As of March 2021, there were 91,687 people currently receiving support from the NDIS in Queensland – that’s around 1.7% of the state’s overall population. Of those, 46,344 were receiving support for the first time – so the program is now reaching significant numbers of people who previously didn’t have access to such support.
If I’m Not A Professional Disability Care Worker, Do I Need To Get First Aid Training To Care For Someone On The NDIS?
There are no legal training requirements on caring for someone within your family with a significant disability, and as such there’s no legal government obligation. However, if you’re the primary carer for someone on the NDIS, having up-to-date first aid skills is particularly valuable for providing the best care possible – and being ready for any medical emergency. You don’t need to be a support worker in the disability sector to benefit from a sound knowledge of first aid.
The courses provided by First Aid Pro are open to all – workplaces, professionals requiring first aid qualifications, and private citizens hoping to be better prepared to provide first aid in a medical emergency. We operate nationally, with a variety of training venues available in each state. So no matter who or where you are in Australia, accredited first aid training is generally close to hand.
What Are My Options If I Want To Do A First Aid Course While Being Covid Safe?
For starters, First Aid Pro makes sure our training is conducted in a Covid safe manner – making sure we’re following best practice when it comes to social distancing, masks, and other infection control measures. We also ask any participants currently experiencing sickness or flu-like symptoms not to attend (rescheduling their training to a different time). So when you’re doing a standard First Aid Pro course, you can be confident that all Covid 19 guidelines are being adhered to.
If you’re particularly conscious of this, you can also opt for online training. Our online “HLTAID011 Provide First Aid” course provides training in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and basic emergency life support (BELS), and the theory component of the course can be completed remotely over the internet. Other than a brief two-hour face-to-face practical assessment (carefully following Covid safe standards), the training can all be done from your home or office – making it safe and convenient!
Can I Use The Certificate I Get From First Aid Pro In Any Other Context?
First Aid Pro is a registered training organisation (RTO), and our courses are nationally recognised and fully accredited. The first aid training we provide is fully accepted in most professional contexts, including the requirements for teachers and child care workers.
However, you should note that most professions with a requirement for first aid certification also require you to update your certification periodically – generally every one to three years (depending on the organisation). So the responsibility of keeping your first aid certificate updated and your skills up to date rests with you!
If I’m Based In Queensland, Where Can I Get First Aid Pro Training?
First Aid Pro runs training at various locations around the greater Brisbane area, giving you a range of options for training. We currently operate first aid courses at the following venues:
- Brisbane CBD – Level 7 – 217 George Street, Brisbane, 4000
- Logan – Unit 8 / 84 – Wembley Road, Logan Central QLD 4114
- Mt Gravatt – Mount Gravatt Hotel, 1315 Logan Rd, Mount Gravatt QLD 4122
- Springfield – Springfield Tavern, Corner of Springfield Parkway & Commercial Dve, Springfield 4300
- Ipswich – Ipswich Show Society Office, Ipswich Showgrounds 81 Warwick Rd, Ipswich QLD 4035
- Chermside – Chermside Bowls Club, 468 Rode Road, Chermside QLD 4032
- Caboolture – Caboolture Lakes Entrance, Suite 4- Training Room, 8-22 King Street Caboolture, QLD 4510
- Nambour – Nambour Excel Centre, 3 Park Road Nambour, QLD 4560
- Parkwood – Parkwood Tavern, Olsen Avenue and Wintergreen Drive, Parkwood QLD 4214
- Mermaid Waters – Cnr Markeri & Sunshine, Blvd Mermaid Waters, QLD, 4218
- Toowoomba – 88 Margaret Street, Toowoomba QLD, 4350
- Wurtulla – Club Kawana, 476 Nicklin Way, Wutulla, QLD, 4575
- Tingalpa – Tingalpa Hotel, 1563 Wynnum Rd, Tingalpa QLD 4173
- Mooloolaba – Suite 7, 137-141 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
- Capalaba – Lions Club Of Capalaba, 55-57 Degen Road Capalaba 4157
- Caloundra – Caloundra RSL, 19 West Terrace, Caloundra QLD 4551
If you’re looking for specifics on what courses are running and when, you can find more information on our locations page.
If you’re looking further afield, it’s worth knowing that we also operate in the following locations.
- Adelaide, South Australia
- Brisbane, Queensland
- Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Southport, Gold Coast, Queensland
- Sydney, NSW
- Melbourne, VIC
- Hobart, Tasmania
- Launceston, Tasmania
- Perth, Western Australia
- Darwin, NT
Does First Aid Pro Offer Mental Health First Aid Training?
Yes, we offer nationally recognised training in mental health first aid (MHFA), accredited by Mental Health First Aid Australia.
In Australia in recent years, there’s been a growing awareness of the significance of being able to spot indications of mental health issues in those around us, and providing appropriate care. In our 12 hour course, you’ll learn to identify the signs of conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse, and respond to situations such as panic attacks and aggressive behaviours.
If you’re a disability support worker or a family member caring for an NDIS participant with issues of mental health, this course can equip you with the knowledge and skills to better care for them, both in the everyday and in times of crisis.
How Do I Find Providers For The NDIS Near Me?
If you’re looking to get connected with the NDIS, there are many ways to get started. A simple google maps search for something like “ndis providers near brisbane” will provide an easy reference list for what services are in your area, and how to get in touch with them. Alternatively, you can go direct to the source, and check out the list of providers on the NDIS website for the most up-to-date information on what organisations near you can help.
If you’re not so much looking for a provider for the NDIS as for a carer that works through it, there’s help available there as well. Hireup is an organisation that seeks to put the power in the hands of NDIS participants when it comes to finding the right carer for their needs, while also making things easier for the carers.
What Different Types Of Training Courses Does First Aid Pro Offer?
There’s range of areas for which First Aid Pro can provide highly affordable training – for individuals, or on site for the staff at a workplace. Take a look below at some of the options we have on offer.
- HLTAID009 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- HLTAID010 – Provide basic emergency life support (BELS)
- HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid
- HLTAID012 – Provide First Aid in an education and care setting
- HLTAID013 – Provide First Aid in remote or isolated site
- HLTAID014 – Provide Advanced First Aid
- HLTAID015 – Provide advanced resuscitation and oxygen therapy
- Manual Handling for Nurses
- Manual Handling
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
- Mental Health First Aid Refresher
- White Card
If you’re looking for a particular course you’ve been referred to, and it doesn’t seem to be in the list above, it’s worth knowing that some of those options have previously been known by other names. Below is a quick list of some of the older names and codes used for those courses.
- HLTAID001 – Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- HLTAID002 – Provide basic emergency life support
- HLTAID003 – Provide first aid
- HLTAID004 – Provide an emergency first aid response in an education & care setting
