Manchester is one of the largest healthcare centres in the UK. From the major teaching hospitals and specialist units to the hundreds of GP surgeries, dental practices, private clinics, urgent care centres, and care homes spread across the city, the healthcare sector employs tens of thousands of professionals across every discipline. The breadth and diversity of healthcare in Manchester is extraordinary, but it also means that the life support training needs across the sector are varied and complex.
A dental nurse in Didsbury and an emergency department technician at a teaching hospital have very different clinical roles, but they share a fundamental requirement: the ability to respond effectively when a patient suffers a cardiac arrest. The level of intervention expected of each is different, and the training they need reflects that. What matters is that every healthcare professional in Manchester has the right level of life support training for their role, and that training is kept current.
We are PCT Services, and we deliver Resuscitation Council UK accredited life support training from our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich, about a 40 minute drive from Manchester. We also deliver on-site training at healthcare settings across Greater Manchester.
BLS: the universal requirement
Basic Life Support is the baseline. Every healthcare professional, regardless of their role, setting, or seniority, should be able to recognise cardiac arrest, deliver high-quality chest compressions, provide rescue breathing, and use an automated external defibrillator. These skills form the foundation of the chain of survival, and without them, no amount of advanced intervention can succeed.
Our BLS course follows the latest Resuscitation Council UK guidelines. It lasts two hours, uses manikins with real-time feedback on compression quality, and is designed as an annual refresher. It covers recognition of cardiac arrest, high-quality CPR, AED use, and choking management.
For Manchester's dental practices, the GDC requires all dental team members to be trained in BLS. For GP surgeries, the CQC expects current BLS training as part of clinical governance. For care homes, BLS is essential for every member of staff because cardiac arrests and choking incidents can happen at any time.
Annual refreshers are the standard. The Resuscitation Council UK is clear that BLS skills deteriorate within months without practice, and the CQC and GDC will check that training records are current.
Basic Life Support Training (BLS)
This Basic Life Support course provides essential knowledge and practical skills to competently recognise a cardiac arrest and commence basic life support in adults, children and infants. It also covers safe application of an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), how to use a pocket mask, administration of oxygen, and the initial assessment and management of anaphylaxis.
Northwich Training Centre, Northwich
Fully booked · 3 dates available
eILS: for clinical staff who need more
Enhanced Immediate Life Support is designed for healthcare professionals who may need to manage a deteriorating patient with more advanced techniques before the resuscitation team or ambulance arrives. It covers airway management using adjuncts, bag-valve-mask ventilation, the ABCDE assessment framework for the acutely unwell patient, and recognition of peri-arrest arrhythmias.
eILS costs £180 per person and combines e-learning with a full day of practical, simulation-based training. It is Resuscitation Council UK accredited.
For Manchester's GP surgeries, eILS is directly relevant to the GPs and practice nurses who may need to manage a patient who collapses in the surgery or deteriorates during a consultation. The structured ABCDE assessment gives them a systematic approach to a patient who is getting worse, while the advanced airway skills improve the quality of care they can provide before the ambulance arrives.
For dental practices where sedation is offered, eILS is particularly important. The airway management skills and the ability to recognise and respond to respiratory depression are directly relevant to the clinical risks of sedation.
For private clinics and aesthetic practices in Manchester, where procedures ranging from minor surgery to injectable treatments carry a small but real risk of adverse events, eILS provides the clinical safety net that protects both patients and practitioners.
For care homes, the senior nursing staff who lead the clinical response to deteriorating residents benefit from the systematic assessment skills and advanced interventions that eILS teaches.
Immediate Life Support Training (eILS)
The Immediate Life Support course is a specialised course designed to equip healthcare professionals with a variety of skills, from managing a deteriorating adult, identifying causes of deterioration and treating cardiorespiratory arrest in adults, to developing team leadership skills and understanding what it takes to be an effective team member in an emergency.
Northwich Training Centre, Northwich
Fully booked
ePILS: for those working with children
Manchester's healthcare sector includes a significant number of professionals who work with children. Paediatric GP consultations, children's community services, health visiting, school nursing, and private paediatric clinics all require professionals who can respond to life-threatening emergencies in infants and children.
Our ePILS course covers paediatric and neonatal life support at £150 per person. It is Resuscitation Council UK accredited and focuses on the specific techniques, doses, and considerations for managing cardiac arrest and serious illness in children.
Paediatric Immediate Life Support Training (ePILS)
The Paediatric Immediate Life Support course is a specialised half-day training programme designed to equip healthcare professionals with critical skills for managing paediatric emergencies. This Resuscitation Council accredited course focuses on the ABCDE approach, immediate life support techniques, and team leadership skills essential for treating seriously ill or deteriorating children until expert help arrives.
Choosing the right training for your Manchester team
The right approach depends on your setting and your team's clinical roles.
For dental practices, BLS for the whole team annually, plus eILS for the dentist and senior dental nurse.
For GP surgeries, BLS for all staff including receptionists and practice managers, plus eILS for GPs and practice nurses.
For care homes, BLS for all staff including healthcare assistants and domestic teams, plus eILS for registered nurses and clinical leads.
For private clinics and aesthetic practices, BLS for all staff, plus eILS for any practitioner performing procedures with clinical risk.
For any setting that works with children, add ePILS for the relevant clinical staff.
On-site training across Manchester
For healthcare teams in Manchester, on-site training is the most practical option for BLS refreshers. We come to your practice, surgery, clinic, or care home, bring all the equipment, and train your staff in batches around your clinic schedule. Two hour sessions can be slotted in during lunch breaks, before or after clinics, or on a dedicated training afternoon.
On-site BLS training also lets us reference your specific environment: your AED location, your emergency procedures, and the layout of your building. This makes the training directly applicable to a real emergency at your premises.
For eILS and ePILS, our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich provides a dedicated, professional simulation environment. It is about a 40 minute drive from central Manchester, and we run scheduled courses throughout the year.
Book your training
Check the upcoming dates on our Basic Life Support page, our eILS page, or our ePILS page. Or give us a call on 07958 915146 to arrange on-site BLS training for your Manchester team.
Manchester's healthcare sector is vast, varied, and vital. Make sure your team has the life support skills to match.
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