New 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines: What Businesses Need to Know
04 Feb 2026
Published in: Member News
When someone collapses at work, every minute matters.
There is no time to search policies or wait for instructions. Someone must act immediately: call 999, start CPR, and use a defibrillator (AED).
The Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines 2025, released in October, do not change the core CPR steps, but they raise expectations for workplace readiness.
What’s staying the same
- Call 999
- Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest
- Use an AED as soon as possible
What’s changing for businesses
The focus is shifting from “having a first aider” to ensuring everyone can act. Key priorities include:
- Calling 999 immediately if someone is unresponsive
- Faster, easier access to AEDs (visible, unlocked, signposted)
- Greater staff awareness, not just trained first aiders
- More practical, confidence-based training
- Clear, simple emergency procedures that reduce hesitation
Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere- offices, schools, warehouses, shops, and reception areas, often without warning. If the first aider is absent, delayed, or unsure, precious time is lost.
The new guidance reflects real workplace scenarios and encourages systems that allow anyone present to begin life-saving action.
What businesses should do now
- Review emergency response plans to prioritise Call 999 first
- Check AEDs are accessible, unlocked, maintained, and known to staff
- Expand CPR and AED awareness beyond named first aiders
- Update first aid policies, inductions, and training schedules
This update is not about adding complexity; it’s about making emergency response faster, clearer, and more effective.
Prepared workplaces don’t just meet compliance requirements; they build confidence, protect staff, and can save lives.
We are already updating our workplace and paediatric first aid training to align with the 2025 guidelines, including CPR refreshers, AED awareness, and emergency response support for businesses and schools.
Don’t wait for an emergency to test your systems. Contact us to update your first aid training and ensure your staff know exactly what to do if the worst happens.
Feel free to call us on 01543 453338 or email info@hmbtrainingservices.co.uk
for more information on our course packages.
Read more on the blog here - https://hmbtrainingservices.co.uk/latest-news/what-do-the-new-resuscitation-guidelines-mean-for-businesses
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