Three Years. One Partnership. Better Access to BLS Education.

Why CHEP created the program

Basic life support is expected of people who work in hospitals. For organizations outside major centres, the barrier is often not the willingness to learn. It is tuition plus travel, a course date that misses the shift schedule, and the cost of being short-staffed while people are away.

The BLS Access Initiative is CHEP’s first response: a three-year partnership that can bring BLS education closer to the people who need it, and that can be studied while it runs.

Who can apply

Canadian hospitals and healthcare organizations may apply. CHEP welcomes regional, rural, multi-site, northern, and Indigenous-serving organizations, community hospitals, long-term care, and systems that serve dispersed populations. Applications are accepted from healthcare organizations throughout Canada.

An application is reviewed for eligibility and for CHEP’s capacity. Submitting one does not reserve seats and does not create a partnership.

What participating organizations receive

Eligible participating organizations may receive BLS education without course tuition fees during their approved partnership period. The components below are the configurable parts of the program. They are maintained as program records, and a signed agreement states which of them apply to a given organization.

• BLS Provider education

  Provider-level basic life support education for eligible clinical and non-clinical staff named in the partnership.

• BLS renewal

  Renewal education for staff whose certification is due during the partnership period.

• Live virtual, where appropriate

  Live virtual delivery when it fits the skill, the site, and the education partner’s standards.

• Classroom, where available

  Classroom delivery at or near the organization when instructors and space are available.

• Flexible scheduling

  Scheduling that respects shift work and reduces time away from the clinical environment.

• Certification administration

  Support to record completion and help the organization see who is current.

• Education reporting

  Reports the organization can use for readiness, planning, and internal accountability.

• Implementation support

  A practical onboarding path for sites, educators, and local leaders.

• Dedicated organizational contact

  A named CHEP contact for the organization during the partnership.

• Instructor development, where applicable

  Instructor development when the partnership includes it and capacity allows.

How the three-year partnership works

1. The organization submits an expression of interest.
2. CHEP reviews eligibility, sites, learner volume, and capacity.
3. If there is a fit, CHEP may request a meeting and then a written proposal.
4. An agreement sets the term, the sites, the education included, and the responsibilities of each party.
5. Implementation follows the agreement. The default term is three years. It does not renew by silence.

Implementation

Implementation is practical: a named contact on each side, a schedule that respects shift work, a choice of live virtual delivery where it is appropriate and classroom delivery where it is available, and a way to see who has completed education. Instructor development is included only where the agreement provides for it.

Reporting

Participating organizations receive education reports they can use for readiness and planning. Reports cover the activity in the agreement. They are not published with the organization’s name unless the organization authorizes a public listing.

Program evaluation

CHEP will look at access, travel avoided where it can be measured, scheduling flexibility, and workforce readiness. Findings are published when they are complete. They are not estimated in advance on this page.

Questions