Student

Student Information

Heartsafety Solutions Mission Statement

At Heartsafety Solutions, our mission is to empower individuals and organisations with the knowledge, skills, and equipment to respond effectively in emergency situations. Through the delivery of high-quality, approved training courses, we are committed to advancing pre-hospital emergency care standards, promoting community resilience, and saving lives. We strive for excellence, integrity, and innovation in every learning experience we provide.

Heartsafety Solutions Vision

To be Ireland’s leading provider of First Aid training, empowering individuals and communities with the confidence, competence, and compassion to save lives. We are committed to excellence in teaching, integrity in assessment, and continuous improvement through quality assurance, ensuring every student receives the highest standard of pre-hospital emergency care training.”

Quality Policy

HSS is committed to maintaining and continuously improving a Quality Management System that ensures the effective delivery of accredited education and training programmes.

We will meet and exceed the quality requirements of:

PHECC’s Quality Review Framework (QRF STN020 V4)
ISO 9001:2015 principles (where applicable)
Other relevant awarding bodies such as RTITB and IHF

We achieve this by embedding quality across all functions – governance, programme delivery, assessment, learner support, and review – in line with the six core standards of the PHECC QRF.

Process

HSS is committed to:

Delivering courses that are current, evidence-based, and relevant
Providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment
Ensuring all instructors are competent, qualified, and continuously developed
Ensuring transparency and consistency in assessment and certification
Promoting a culture of student engagement and continuous feedback
Conducting regular self-evaluation and acting on findings to improve outcomes

Quality is an ongoing process. HSS will:

Maintain a documented Quality Assurance system aligned with the QRF
Carry out internal verification and monitoring for every PHECC-accredited course
Respond to student and client feedback
Review and improve policies, procedures, and course content regularly
Record, track, and complete improvement actions through a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

HSS is committed to providing students with adequate support and resources to maximise their learning potential.

The quality team are responsible for ensuring all resources are in place.

Procedure

Informing Students

At the start of each course, instructors inform students about available supports and refer them to the website and Student Handbook.
Course content, assessments, and expectations are explained clearly to support informed participation.

Disclosure of Needs

Students are invited to disclose any support needs at registration or at any point during the course.
Confidentiality is maintained and only relevant staff are informed.

Types of Support Offered

Physical changes to the learning environment (e.g., seating).
Accessible learning materials (e.g., large print or digital formats).
Extra time for assessments (when warranted).
Reader or scribe support.
Use of assistive technology (if available and appropriate).

If you require any of these supports, please contact your instructor or call Heartsafety Solutions on 01 4578719.

Appeals Policy

HSS commits to providing arrangements in relation to grade verification and appeals concerning assessment matters which ensure that they are dealt with fairly, transparently and in a timely manner.

HSS will ensure that at all stages of a formal appeal that instructors previously involved in assessing are not involved in reviewing any appeal from students and the student will be assured that a complete review of the assessments undertaken, will be completed.

A student may appeal any course assessment. Such an appeal will be considered if:

The student, on stated grounds, considers that the mark received in a specific assessment is incorrect.
The student, on stated grounds, considers that substantive irregularity in the conduct of a specific assessment process has taken place.
Any other factor they feel has affected their grading; these are reviewed on individual basis.

Appeals Procedure

The processes detailed below are in accordance with national standards and follows guidance laid down within PHECC Quality Review Framework and Guidelines for ATI.

Concerned student contacts HSS (informally) regarding an appeal.
Student will be advised of the formal process to enact an appeal. The appeals process is communicated to all students at induction and is included in the Student Handbook, as required by PHECC and RTITB.
Students must submit an appeal within 10 working days of receiving their result or notification of certification. Appeals submitted after this period may not be considered unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated.
A written response will go to the student advising them of receipt of their appeal and asking them for a further detailed explanation for their appeal.
All evidence relating to their assessment will be isolated by the Training Coordinator and brought to the attention of the Quality Team for review.

If the course paperwork was already processed, the internal verifiers (and external authenticators, if appropriate) reports will be checked to see if the class in question was chosen as part of their sampling process.

The Quality Team will convene a meeting to review the appeal. The Quality Team will decide if there are ground for appeal or not.

If there are grounds for appeal, the assessment will be reviewed by a qualified instructor or external authenticator not involved in the original course delivery or assessment, ensuring full independence in accordance with the PHECC Quality Review Framework.

Following the outcome of the Quality meeting, the following steps will be taken:

An email will go to the student advising them of the outcome.
An email will go to the instructor to advise them of the outcome.

Escalation
If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the internal appeals process, they may escalate their appeal to RTITB, in accordance with RTITB’s external appeals procedure. For programmes accredited by PHECC, all appeals must be fully managed and resolved within Heartsafety Solutions, as required by the PHECC Quality Review Framework. The Quality Assurance Team will support the student throughout the process and ensure transparency and fairness.

Outcome of Appeals

There are two outcomes from this process:

Student original grades are agreed, and any certification awarded will be in line with the now final grade
Student grade is changed and the student will be informed of the amendment.

Assessment Policy

This policy outlines how assessments are conducted at Heartsafety Solutions in a fair, consistent, and transparent manner. It ensures alignment with:

PHECC’s Education and Training Standards and Responder Examination Handbook
RTITB Accreditation Criteria
Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) guidelines for certified courses
ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Principles

Responsibilities

- Instructors: Deliver and conduct assessments in line with awarding body guidelines, grade all assessments, ensure ensure proper documentation.
- Internal Verifier (IV): Verify Assessment Results, ensure proper documentation and identify possible areas of concern.

Quality Team: Manage certification, appeals, verification and oversee Continuous improvement.

Students: Participate in assessments, request supports where needed, comply with relevant policies.

Policy Statement

It is the policy of HSS that all students should receive fair, transparent, and consistent assessment and in line with PHECC Education and Training Standards. All students must receive equal status during assessment and allocation of any supports as identified.

Students will be made aware of the methods of assessment and their responsibilities for achieving and demonstrating the required knowledge and skills at the beginning of the course.

The circumstances of each student will be taken into consideration and our Reasonable Accommodation Policy will detail guidelines for approaches and acceptable facilitation for those with additional support needs.

Assessment of student operates in a fair and consistent manner by all instructors in line with the PHECC Responder Examination Handbook.

Assessment Procedure:

Assessment Instruments & Delivery

PHECC MCQs and Skills Sheets are used for all relevant programmes (e.g., FAR, CFR).
IHF standardised assessments are used for CPR and BLS courses.
RTITB practical and theoretical assessments are used where applicable.
All summative assessments are conducted in a secure and supervised setting.
FAR MCQ envelopes are sealed and opened in front of learners; a Security of Assessment Form is completed.

Skills Demonstrations

Skill assessments are carried out during and at the end of each course.
CFR skills are assessed separately and recorded on PHECC skill sheets.
For Blended Learning, the practical component is delivered and assessed in person.

Reasonable Accommodation

Supports for students with additional needs are available, in line with the Reasonable Accommodation Policy.
Students are encouraged to disclose needs during booking or course induction.

Remediation

If a student fails to demonstrate competency, they are offered one opportunity for remediation during the course.
Remediation follows the Remediation Policy and is documented before certification

Supervision & Integrity

All assessments are conducted under supervision.
All learner results are verified internally.
- Student assessments are returned to the office for review by the Internal Verifier.
- The Results Approval Panel (RAP) convenes to confirm results.
- Certification is issued only after IV.
- RAP sign-off and compliance checks is carried out at later date to fully sign off certification process.
- Assessment paperwork is scanned and stored securely, and all hardcopy paperwork is destroyed through a licensed company.

Blended Learning Compliance

All face-to-face practical assessments are delivered to the same standard as full in-person courses.
Online components are supported by verified learning and tracked completion through LMS.

Equality & Diversity Policy

HSS Management Ltd is committed to:

Promoting equality of opportunity for all persons.
Preventing and eliminating discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.
Fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
Ensuring that our programmes and services are accessible to all.

To implement this policy HSS will:

Provide training on equality and diversity to all employees.
Review our student material, recruitment and retention practices to ensure they are fair and inclusive.
Make reasonable accommodations for students and employees with disabilities.
Promote a culture of respect and inclusion

Any student who feels they have been discriminated against or harassed should report the matter to HSS via the Complaints Procedure.

Any employee who feels they have been discriminated against or harassed should report the matter to the General Manager or Managing Director. All complaints will be taken seriously and investigated promptly.

Complaints Policy

This policy applies to all students undertaking accredited training programmes delivered by Heartsafety Solutions under the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) and Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) and covers complaints related to:

Course delivery and content
Assessment and feedback
Conduct of staff or learners
Facilities and resources
Administrative processes

Purpose

To provide students, staff, and stakeholders with a clear, fair, and accessible process for raising concerns or complaints related to the delivery of accredited courses, ensuring resolution in a timely and respectful manner.

Policy Statement

HSS is committed to:

Treating all complaints seriously and confidentially
Resolving complaints promptly and fairly
Using complaints as a source of feedback for continuous quality improvement
Ensuring no complainant is disadvantaged for raising a concern

Complaints Procedure

Informal Complaint

Informal Complaints can be lodged directly with the instructor or alternatively by contacting Heartsafety Solutions on 01 4578719. We will endeavour to solve complaints within 5 working days. If not resolved, then a formal complaint should be raised.

Formal Complaint

Formal Complaints need to be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Acknowledgement will be sent within 5 working days. An Investigation will be conducted, including interviews and document review. A formal response is issued within 15 working days, outlining findings and any actions taken.

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