Resuscitation Council UK’s Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider course gives you the skills to manage patients in cardiac arrest before a cardiac arrest team arrives.
If you’re a healthcare professional who may have to act as the first responder in an emergency, an ILS course provides a variety of skills, from managing a deteriorating patient, identifying causes and treating cardiac arrest, to improving abilities as both a team member and leader.
This qualification and learning outcomes are based on the guidance of:
Our ILS course contains learning content that explicitly addresses The Skills for Health Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF) Level 3 Immediate Life Support for staff with direct clinical care responsibilities including all qualified healthcare professionals.
Evidence-based resuscitation guidelines and cutting-edge research have been used to create ILS provider courses since 2002.
Upcoming RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider courses
| Dates | Location | Cost | Booking link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 November 2026 | Manchester | £155.00 + VAT | Book Now |
| 07 December 2026 | Manchester | £155.00 + VAT | Book Now |
These courses are provided by our training partners, PLAB Guide Ltd (a Resuscitation Council (UK) centre).
We can also provide our courses for groups of 4-30 people at your own premises. If you have 4-30 staff members interested in this qualification, please email training@promed999.co.uk or call 03333 445442 to discuss.
RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) qualfication details
This qualification has a Total Qualification Time (TQT) of 7 hours. This is made up of 7 Guided Learning Hours (GLH); the time your are being taught and assessed under the immediate guidance of a trainer/assessor.
This course is recognised as continuing professional development (CPD) by the Medical, Dental and Nursing Royal Colleges and Health Care Professional Council. It is worth 5 CPD points.
Topics covered
On the RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider course, you’ll first learn recognise and treat the deteriorating patient using the ABCDE approach.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to identify the causes and promote the prevention of cardiopulmonary arrest and undertake the skills of quality CPR and defibrillation (manual and /or AED) and simple airway manoeuvres.
The RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider course also covers utilising non-technical skills to facilitate team leadership and effective team membership.
Assessment
You must complete all assessments & skills tests in the unit successfully within the registration period to achieve the qualification. The minimum time to complete this qualification is 1 day and the maximum is 1 month.
Assessment is continuous throughout the course.
3 x mandatory practical assessments:
- The ABCDE approach
- Initial resuscitation and defibrillation
- Airway management
Pre-requisites
- Level 2 in literacy (ie GCSE English grades 4-9 or equivalent)
- Level 2 in numeracy (ie GCSE Mathematics grades 4-9 or equivalent)
- Be at least 18 years old on the first day of the training
- Be operating at, or undertaking an approved education programme to operate at, Level E on the RCSEd FPHC PHEM Skills Descriptor Matrix
RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider course certificate
You’ll receive your Resuscitation Council (UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider e-certificate soon after your results have been submitted.
We’ll issue you with an interim ecertificate confirming what you have been assessed on to cover the time from our Course Director confirming your have met the requirement for the award until your certificate is issued. You can show this to employers pending the certificate from the awarding body.
Recommended reading
The recommended learning material for ILS is the official RC(UK) ILS manual, which you’ll receive two weeks before the start of the course. Candidates are expected to have prepared for the course by reading the manual.
The pre-course MCQ (online) should be completed before the start of the face-to-face course.
Requalification
Your RC(UK) Immediate Life Support (ILS) provider certificate is valid for 1 year. This is dated when you achieve the final unit. This is not a certificate of competency but is a record of having achieved the required standard during the course.
You need to retake the qualification before the certificate expiry date to remain qualified. A shorter (half-day) ILS recertification course is available, which must be attended within 1 year of the date of expiry of the existing provider certificate.
We recommend that you complete immediate life support (ILS) training to maintain your basic skills and keep up-to-date with any changes to prehospital care practice.
Progression
Exceptionally able candidates may be nominated for ILS Instructor training by the faculty. A limited number of places are available on the ILS Instructor course for outstanding ILS candidates who demonstrate an exceptional aptitude and credibility for teaching. Candidates must attend the ILS Instructor course within twelve months of being nominated.
Recertifying providers can be considered for Instructor Potential, but cannot do so until at least six months has elapsed after their initial Provider certification.
In addition, this qualification may aid career progression in a relevant profession such as doctors, medical students, nurses, nursing students, nursing associates, midwives, operating department practitioners (ODPs), cardiac technicians, resuscitation officers, resuscitation training officers, paramedics, student paramedics, ambulance technicians, physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, dentists, dental nurses, fire service technicians, police personnel, prison officers, airline cabin crew, air stewards and other health and care professionals.