Manchester Arena inquiry: Reduced first aid training ‘a deliberate choice’

(BBC) A police force which responded to the Manchester Arena bombing was not providing the recommended hours of first aid training at the time, the inquiry into the attack has heard.

The Manchester Arena inquiry was told Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was not compliant between 2014 and 2020.

A senior GMP officer said it was a deliberate decision to provide six hours of training, instead of nine.

The hearing was also told officers did not get refresher training every year.

The inquiry heard that at the time of the May 2017 bombing, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds more, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommended GMP provide nine hours of training on its first aid skills course and refresher training every year.

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