Paediatric Immediate Life Support (PILS) Course in Manchester

This PILS course in Manchester is the Resuscitation Council UK Paediatric Immediate Life Support course, delivered as ePILS: online learning in your own time, then a half-day practical session at our Levenshulme centre. It is designed for doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals who may need to recognise a deteriorating infant or child and manage a paediatric arrest until expert help arrives. Successful candidates receive the RCUK PILS Provider certificate.

  • E-learning on the RCUK platform, done in your own time
  • Morning practical session, starting at 9am
  • Small-group, hands-on teaching
  • Realistic infant and child emergency simulations
  • Continuous practical assessment on the day
  • Course manual: collect in Manchester or have it posted
  • Free dedicated parking
  • Group booking plan for six candidates

Course summary

Course
Paediatric Immediate Life Support (PILS) Course in Manchester
Qualification
Resuscitation Council UK PILS Provider certificate
Duration
Online learning + half-day practical session
Format
1 day online learning + 1 day face-to-face practical training
Location
Manchester
CPD
5
Certificate valid for
1 year
Price
From £150
Next date
Friday 2 October 2026
Candidate practising bag-mask ventilation on an infant manikin during a PILS course in Manchester at PLAB Guide Training Centre
Infant airway and ventilation practice during our ePILS practical session

Paediatric life support training in Manchester for healthcare professionals

When a child starts to deteriorate, the first few minutes matter. Our PILS course in Manchester gives you a structured way to assess a sick infant or child, treat what you find and act decisively if breathing or circulation fails.

We run PILS in the ePILS blended format approved by Resuscitation Council UK. You work through the theory online first, at your own pace, and then join a small group at our Levenshulme centre for a focused morning of hands-on skills and simulated emergencies. Because the knowledge is already in place, the practical session can concentrate on what you do with your hands and your team.

Choose a date below, and book early so you have time to complete the e-learning.

Why train with PLAB Guide in Manchester

PLAB Guide Training Centre is a Resuscitation Council UK Approved Centre, so your ePILS leads to exactly the same RCUK PILS Provider certificate as the full-day course.

  • Small groups: plenty of time on the manikins and structured feedback from your instructors.
  • Realistic paediatric simulation: scenarios built around common infant and child emergencies.
  • Modern resuscitation equipment at every skill station.
  • Easy to reach: free dedicated parking, and good links by train, bus and road from across Greater Manchester.

Upcoming dates

More dates

Monday 4 January 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 14 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 8 February 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 19 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 8 March 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 23 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 5 April 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 27 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 10 May 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 32 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 7 June 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 36 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 5 July 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 40 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 9 August 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 45 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Monday 6 September 2027

09:00 – 13:30PLAB Guide Training CentreStarts in 49 weeks

6 places available
From £150
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Choosing a date takes you straight to booking with that date selected.

Course overview

The Resuscitation Council UK PILS course teaches the knowledge and skills needed to recognise and treat a seriously ill or injured infant or child, and to manage respiratory or cardiorespiratory arrest until a specialist team or more experienced help arrives. It sits between paediatric basic life support and the more comprehensive two-day EPALS course.

On the ePILS route the course runs in two parts:

  1. Online learning. After enrolment you receive access to the e-learning on the Resuscitation Council UK learning management system. Resuscitation Council UK describes this as around half a day of study. It must be completed, together with any pre-course assessment, before the practical session.
  2. Half-day practical session. A morning at our Manchester centre covering paediatric resuscitation skills, airway and ventilation, recognition of the deteriorating child, teamwork and communication, and cardiorespiratory arrest simulations. Assessment runs continuously throughout.

Both parts together lead to the same RCUK PILS Provider certificate as the traditional full-day, face-to-face PILS course.

Who this course is for

PILS is for healthcare professionals who may be first on scene when a baby or child becomes unwell, and who need more than basic life support but not the depth of EPALS. You leave with a systematic ABCDE approach you can use on any shift, practical confidence with airway and ventilation, and a clear sense of your role in a paediatric resuscitation team.

The blended format suits clinicians who find it hard to take a full day away from work or family. The theory fits around your schedule, and the practical takes a single morning.

Who should attend

  • Doctors
  • Nurses and nursing associates
  • Paramedics and ambulance clinicians
  • Operating department practitioners
  • Health visitors and school nurses
  • Midwives
  • Resuscitation officers
  • Physiotherapists
  • Dental professionals
  • Healthcare assistants and allied healthcare professionals
  • Eligible final-year medical and nursing students

Entry requirements

The course is intended for healthcare professionals whose role involves caring for infants or children. Eligible final-year medical and nursing students may also attend. Please check that the course suits your role, experience and professional requirements before booking.

Before the practical session

  • Log in to the Resuscitation Council UK learning platform promptly after enrolment and check that your access works.
  • Complete all online modules and any required pre-course assessment. Don't leave this until the day before.
  • Read the course manual and any pre-course materials.
  • Tell us straight away if you have any problem accessing the e-learning.

Candidates who have not completed the e-learning may be refused admission, transferred to another date or found ineligible for assessment. Please book using your full name exactly as it appears on the identification you bring on the day.

What you will learn

  • Recognise a seriously ill or deteriorating infant or child
  • Assess a sick child using a structured paediatric ABCDE approach
  • Identify likely causes of deterioration and start appropriate immediate treatment
  • Recognise respiratory and cardiorespiratory arrest
  • Deliver effective paediatric basic life support
  • Provide bag-mask ventilation for infants and children
  • Use paediatric emergency equipment safely
  • Work and communicate effectively in a resuscitation team until expert help arrives

Course content

  1. 1 Online learning on the RCUK platform

    The theory component of PILS, completed in your own time before the practical session. It must be finished, together with any pre-course assessment, before you attend.

  2. 2 Recognising the deteriorating child

    Putting the structured ABCDE assessment into practice with infants and children, with a focus on spotting early warning signs and identifying possible causes.

  3. 3 Airway and ventilation skills

    Hands-on airway and ventilation practice, including bag-mask ventilation, on infant and child manikins.

  4. 4 Paediatric basic life support and emergency equipment

    Effective compressions and ventilations for infants and children, and confident use of the emergency equipment you would reach for in a real event.

  5. 5 Teamwork and communication

    Working as part of a paediatric resuscitation team: clear roles, concise sharing of information and communication under time pressure.

  6. 6 Cardiorespiratory arrest simulations

    Realistic scenarios that bring every skill together, from recognising deterioration to managing an arrest until a resuscitation team arrives. Your performance is assessed continuously throughout.

Course format

Duration
Online learning + half-day practical session
Made up of
1 day online learning + 1 day face-to-face practical training
Delivery
Online learning followed by small-group practical skills and simulation
Online learning
About half a day of RCUK e-learning
Classroom
9:00am – 1:30pm

Assessment

How you are assessed
Continuous assessment during the practical session, covering skills stations, structured patient assessment and simulated paediatric emergencies.
Practical assessment
Observed throughout the skills stations and simulated infant and child emergencies.

Certification

Requirements
Complete all e-learning and any pre-course assessment, attend the whole practical session, take full part in every skills station and simulation, and meet the required assessment standard.
Certificate valid for
1 year

Accreditation and qualification

Accreditation
Resuscitation Council UK
Qualification
Resuscitation Council UK PILS Provider certificate (Advanced)
Centre status
RCUK Approved Centre
CPD
5

Check the accreditation

Training venue

PLAB Guide Training Centre

308Moseley Road
Levenshulme
Manchester
M19 2LH

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between PILS and ePILS?
Both cover the same Paediatric Immediate Life Support principles and lead to the same Resuscitation Council UK PILS Provider certificate. Traditional PILS is a full day of face-to-face training. ePILS splits the course in two: online learning completed in your own time, then a half-day practical session. The dates on this page are for ePILS at our Manchester centre.
How long is the PILS certificate valid?
The RCUK PILS Provider certificate is valid for one year from the date you complete the course. You download it from your Resuscitation Council UK learning platform account, and employers can independently verify in-date provider certificates.
How much does the ePILS course cost?
The current fee is shown in the course summary and next to each date, and it is taken at booking. There is also a group booking option for six candidates, which suits teams and departments. You can collect the course manual from our Manchester office, or add postage as an optional extra when you book.
How long does the ePILS e-learning take, and when should I do it?
Resuscitation Council UK describes the online part as around half a day of learning. Access is normally provided shortly after enrolment. Log in straight away to check it works, and complete every module and any pre-course assessment well before your practical session rather than the night before.
What happens if I have not finished the e-learning before my session?
Completing the e-learning is mandatory. Candidates who arrive without finishing it may be refused admission, moved to another date or found ineligible for assessment, and additional charges may apply. If you have any trouble accessing the platform, contact us as soon as possible so we can help.
Should I book PILS or EPALS?
PILS is designed for healthcare professionals who need paediatric skills beyond basic life support but do not need the more comprehensive two-day EPALS course. If your role involves leading paediatric resuscitation, EPALS may be more appropriate. Check what your employer or professional role requires before booking.
How is the course assessed?
Assessment is continuous throughout the practical session. Instructors observe your structured patient assessment, initial management, resuscitation skills, communication and teamwork during skills stations and simulated emergencies. Booking or attending does not guarantee a pass; the certificate is issued to candidates who meet the required standard.
Can students attend the PILS course?
Yes. Eligible final-year medical and nursing students can attend alongside qualified healthcare professionals. As with every candidate, you are responsible for making sure the course is appropriate for your stage of training and your future role.
Is there parking at the training centre?
Yes. The centre on Moseley Road in Levenshulme has free dedicated parking, and there is also free on-road parking nearby. The venue is easy to reach by train, bus and road from across Manchester and Greater Manchester.

Ready to book?

The next date with places is Friday 2 October 2026

Book now