Advanced Life Support (ALS)
This Resuscitation Council (UK) approved course trains healthcare professionals to recognise, treat and stabilise adults with life-threatening emergencies.
The Resuscitation Council (UK) Advanced Life Support (ALS) course is a standardised national course teaching evidence-based resuscitation guidelines and skills to healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.
Eligibility criteria
The ALS provider course is designed for healthcare professionals who would be expected to apply the skills taught as part of their clinical duties, or to teach them on a regular basis. Appropriate participants include doctors, paramedics and nurses working in acute care areas (e.g. ED, CCU, ICU, HDU, operating theatres, acute medical admissions units) or on resuscitation /medical emergency/ICU outreach teams. Applicants must have active registration with the GMC, NMC or HCPC. Students in their final year of medical school may also attend the course if this is an established local arrangement.
Applicants who have already attended an ALS/e-ALS course in the past and/or they have been working in the NHS over the past 1 year in an acute, emergency or clinical care setting, we recommend that they click here to book an e-ALS course.
Awarding body recommended preparation time for this course is at least 4 weeks. If course placement is booked less than 4 weeks from the course date, it is done at the candidate’s/booker’s own risk.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact the course administrator to discuss it further BEFORE registering your application through the booking website, as any fees paid may be non-refundable, once the booking has been made.
Prior qualifications, training or experience required
All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification. Basic Life Support (BLS) or Immediate Life Support (ILS) is recommended.
Method of course delivery
- ALS comprises of 1 day e-learning and 2 days of face-to-face training.
ALS Assesment and certification
During the course, Candidates will be continuously assessed based on their performance in clinical simulations. You will be expected to show competency in the core teachings of the course, including airway management, high-quality CPR and defibrillation, and cardiac arrest management.
At the end of the course, theoretical knowledge will be formally tested with an MCQ paper and practical components in a cardiac arrest simulation.
Candidates who successfully complete the course will be awarded a Resuscitation Council UK ALS provider certificate, which is valid for four years and recognised in healthcare settings in the UK, Europe and Australia.
The ALS course is recognised for up to 10 professional development (CPD) points.