The Outdoor Pre Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC) qualification is the New Zealand equivalent Wilderness First Aid programme for adventure industry professionals. Unlike standard first aid training, our PHEC course addresses the challenges of responding to medical emergencies in a remote wilderness environment.


Outdoor Pre Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC) 5-day Workshop:
This is the advanced outdoor first aid qualification recognised by New Zealand outdoor education and adventure tourism providers. During the 5-day programme the theory of medical emergencies and treatment is presented in an interactive and exciting manner. Participants then apply this knowledge by attending to realistic emergency scenarios. This hands-on, practical approach dramatically improves the retention of information, and better prepares participants to manage emergencies when access to medical facilities and equipment is limited.

Content Includes:

  • Patient assessment
  • Resuscitation - including oxygen therapy
  • Fracture and wound management
  • Multiple casualty management
  • Medical conditions
  • Semi Automatic Defibrillation
  • Patient transportation
  • Specific environmental conditions
  • Intra-muscular medication administration

2025 Full PHEC Programme

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2025 PHEC Refresher Programme

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What is the certificate we provide?

Unit standard 29231 - 'Provide Basic Emergency Care' is the current units standard associated with a PHEC certificate. This unit standard is comprised of 14 credits at NZQA level three. 

Designed to address the unique remote environments in which our clients work. Our Outdoor PHEC qualification highlights our ‘point of difference’ and enables us to teach and assess participants using more specific outdoor scenarios and broader range of relevant topics. 

Our PHEC workshops are generally held over 5 days between 9am - 4pm, although some light evening work and pre-course reading is required.


Assessment & Certification:
Horizons hold consent to assess the following NZQA unit standards:

  • 29321 - provide basic emergency care
  • 6400 - manage first aid in an emergency situation
  • 6401 - provide first aid
  • 6402 - provide basic life support
  • 424 - assess and manage an emergency care situation during an outdoor recreation activity

On-site PHEC Courses PHEC Refreshers and Outdoor First Aid:
If you are prepared to 'sponsor' a PHEC course we can deliver one on-site, at your venue for your staff. You will need to provide a minimum number of participants - but you may be able to make some savings.

On-site PHEC Refresher / Outdoor First Aid scenario workshops are also popular with a number of leading adventure education/tourism organisations. We can include the assessment of unit standard 424 - a requirement for some Skills Active Outdoor Recreation qualifications.

PHEC Refreshers - the industry standard to retain PHEC currency is attendance at a Refresher programme every 2 years - these programmes are also run in both spring and autumn.