The Mountain Emergency Care Course has been written in accordance with the following standards:

Part 1: HSE Emergency First Aid:
  • The First Aid at Work - The Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
    • Approved Codes of Practice and Guidance
Part 2: Mountain Emergency Care Course:
  • Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liason Committee (JRCALC) Clinical Practice Guidelines
  • Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) Faculty of Pre-hospital Care (FPHC)
    • Manual of Core Material (MCM)
The Mountain Emergency Care Course has been written in accordance with the following requirements:

"Individuals should recognise that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement."

For the outdoor enthusiast, walker, climber or mountaineer, First Aid is an essential skill and all of the Mountain Leader Training (UK) Awards require a current first aid qualification prior to assessment. The minimum requirement is that such a course must involve at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and include an element of assessment.

MLT(UK) candidates are further expected to undertake such additional elements of first aid training as are consistent with their work in wild and remote country, including emergency assistance and evacuation techniques. It is the responsibility of award holders and/or their employers to evaluate their likely work and the type of situations that they can reasonably expect to encounter and to maintain current appropriate first aid training and qualifications.

The following additional MECC training day, added onto an HSE Approved Emergency First Aid Qualification meets the above requirements, and is valid for the three main awards, as outlined below.

Walking Group Leader:

7.  Prior to attendance on an assessment course, candidates must hold a valid first aid qualification. Courses must be delivered by a Health and Safety Executive approved provider, must involve at least sixteen hours of instruction, include an element of assessment and cover basic life support and emergency aid.

WGL Syllabus Guidelines:

2. Technical Competence
2.1. Walking & Route Finding
2.2. Navigation
2.3. Hazards and Emergency Procedures
The ability to make sound judgements and to deal with a wide range of hazards when leading groups is an essential skill. This includes:
• Recognition and avoidance of steep and broken ground;
• Recognition of water hazards (including marshes and streams) and the skills and safety procedures for dealing with them;
• Procedures in the event of an accident and how to bivouac in an emergency;
• Understanding the causes, signs, symptoms, prevention and treatment in the field of hypothermia, exposure, cold injuries and heat disorders in addition to the general first aid requirements of the scheme
2.4. Equipment

Mountain Leader (Summer):

7.  First Aid Requirements:
For the mountain leader, First Aid is an essential skill and the ML assessment requires a current first aid qualification. The minimum requirement is that such a course must involve at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and include an element of assessment.

Candidates are further expected to undertake such additional elements of first aid training as are consistent with their work in wild and remote country, including emergency assistance and evacuation techniques. It is the responsibility of award holders and/or their employers to evaluate their likely work and the type of situations that they can reasonably expect to encounter and to maintain current appropriate first aid training and qualifications.

MLT Syllabus Guidelines:

4. Hazards and Emergency Procedures
4.1. Hazards of Steep Ground
4.2. Environmental Hazards
4.3. Water Hazards (Including marshes, streams and rivers)
4.4. Emergency Procedures
4.5. Medical
a. Mountain Hypothermia (Exposure) and its treatment both in the field and at base;
b. Cold Injuries;
c. Heat Disorders;
d. Allergic Reactions;
e. Common Medical Problems, e.g. Asthma, Diabetes, Blisters, Sprains.

Single Pitch Award:

1.  Prior to attendance on an assessment course, candidates must hold a valid first aid qualification. Courses must be delivered by a Health and Safety Executive approved provider, must involve at least sixteen hours of instruction, include an element of assessment and cover basic life support and emergency aid.