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PMVA Trainer Course — professional training course UK

PMVA Trainer Course

Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression — Level 3 Accredited

3 Days
Accredited
£595 + VAT

Last Updated:

Accredited PMVA Trainer Course

PMVA training scenarios: Controlled Physical Intervention (PMVA) and Defensive Breakaway Technique

This accredited PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression) Trainer Award is designed for healthcare professionals who want to teach de-escalation techniques, breakaway skills, and conflict management in NHS, mental health, learning disability, and secure settings.

Upon completion, you will receive a SafeCert Level 3 PMVA Trainer Award and a complimentary PDLSG teaching qualification, enabling you to deliver accredited PMVA training and issue certificates to your delegates.

The course is available at venues across the UK and via live Zoom for theory elements. Practical breakaway training must be delivered face-to-face. In-house delivery is available for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations with 6 or more delegates.

What You'll Learn on the PMVA Trainer Course

Understanding Violence and Aggression in Healthcare
Legal Framework for Restraint and Breakaway
De-escalation Techniques and Communication
Conflict Resolution Strategies
Breakaway Techniques (Approved Methods)
Risk Assessment for Violence and Aggression
Post-Incident Debriefing and Support
Documentation and Reporting Requirements
Training Delivery Techniques
Assessment and Certification Processes

Who Should Attend the PMVA Trainer Course

Mental Health Nurses and Healthcare Assistants
Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Staff
Learning Disability Support Workers
Secure Unit and Prison Healthcare Staff
A&E and Emergency Department Staff
Community Mental Health Teams
Ambulance Service Staff
Social Care Managers in Challenging Environments

PMVA Trainer Course Dates & Locations

PMVA Trainer Course UK - accredited prevention and management of violence and aggression trainer qualification

PMVA Trainer Course Booking Form

Just Click on Your Selected Date Below to BOOK NOW.

Why teach PMVA (Prevention & Management of Violence & Aggression)?

Workplace violence and aggression is a serious risk in healthcare and social care. Qualified PMVA trainers protect staff and service users from harm.

688,000

Incidents of workplace violence occur in the UK each year

150

NHS staff assaulted every single day in the UK

17%

Of all workplace injuries in healthcare involve violence and aggression

£2.3 billion

Annual cost of workplace violence to UK organisations

1 in 3

Healthcare workers experience physical violence during their career

95%

Of incidents are manageable with proper PMVA training

Source: NHS England / HSE Statistics 2023/24

Why Choose Abertay Training for Your PMVA Trainer Qualification

Recognised Qualification

Accredited course meeting UK regulations. Accepted by employers across the UK.

Complete Training Resources

Includes PowerPoint presentations, lesson plans, and assessment forms so you can start teaching immediately.

Expert Instructors

Learn from experienced professionals with extensive backgrounds in their specialist field and adult education.

Flexible Locations

Available at 10+ UK venues and fully online via live Zoom. In-house training available for groups of 6 or more.

PMVA Trainer Course FAQs

PMVA trainer demonstrating de-escalation techniques with a colleague in a training roomPMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression) training equips staff with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to prevent, de-escalate, and safely manage violent and aggressive behaviour in the workplace. It is essential in healthcare, social care, education, and any other setting where staff may encounter challenging behaviour. The Abertay Training PMVA Trainer Award qualifies you to deliver accredited PMVA training to others.
PMVA training is underpinned by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the NHS Protect standards for conflict resolution training (in NHS settings), and NICE guideline NG10 on violence and aggression in mental health, learning disability, and autism settings. Employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of violence and aggression and provide appropriate training to staff who may be at risk.
Your PMVA Trainer certificate is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. PMVA guidance, legislation, and best practice are updated regularly, so renewal training is essential to ensure your knowledge remains current. Abertay Training will send you a renewal reminder as your expiry date approaches.
Breakaway techniques are a subset of PMVA training focused specifically on safe methods of releasing oneself from grabs, holds, and restraints. Full PMVA training covers a much broader range of topics, including risk assessment, de-escalation, communication skills, environmental safety, legal and ethical considerations, and post-incident support, in addition to physical intervention techniques including breakaway. The Abertay Training PMVA Trainer course covers all of these elements.
Physical intervention (restraint) must only be used as a last resort when all other de-escalation strategies have failed and there is an immediate risk of harm. It must be proportionate, reasonable, and necessary. The legal framework includes the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended), the Human Rights Act 1998, and common law principles of self-defence and defence of others. Your training covers the legal and ethical framework in detail.
Yes — the PMVA Trainer Award qualifies you to deliver accredited PMVA training to staff in NHS hospitals, mental health units, learning disability services, secure units, care homes, schools, and any other setting where staff may encounter violence and aggression. You will receive all the training materials, assessment tools, and certification resources you need to start delivering training immediately.
The course covers a comprehensive range of de-escalation techniques, including: environmental management (reducing triggers and risks in the physical environment); non-verbal communication (body language, personal space, eye contact); verbal de-escalation (active listening, empathy, calm assertiveness, distraction); risk assessment and early warning signs; and post-incident support for staff and service users. De-escalation is always the preferred approach, and physical intervention is only taught as a last resort.
After a violent or aggressive incident, employers should provide: immediate physical first aid if required; a debrief for all staff involved; access to occupational health or employee assistance programme (EAP) support; a formal incident investigation to identify causes and prevent recurrence; RIDDOR reporting if required; and ongoing support for staff who may experience psychological effects such as anxiety, PTSD, or reduced confidence. Your training covers post-incident support requirements in detail.
Course Information

Duration

3 Days (10am – 4:30pm)

Qualification

SafeCert Level 3 + PDLSG

Price

£595 + VAT per person

Locations

UK-wide venues + Online Zoom

Call 0333 500 5000

Group bookings available for 6+ people

Request a Quick Callback - One of our friendly team will be in touch within 2 working hoursPMVA Trainer - Course Details and Dates - Click to view and download

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UK PMVA and Workplace Violence Statistics 2023/24 - 688,000 incidents of workplace violence per year, 150 NHS staff assaulted every day, violence and aggression accounts for 17% of all workplace injuries in healthcare, £2.3 billion annual cost, 1 in 3 healthcare workers experience physical violence, 95% of incidents manageable with proper PMVA training
📚 Resources
NHS Violence PreventionNHS England violence prevention and reduction programmeHSE Violence at WorkHSE guidance on preventing violence at work
this course E-Learning Course — online health and safety training from Abertay TrainingFree this course quiz — test your knowledge with our interactive quiz

Accreditations

Abertay Training is accredited and certified by the UK's leading health, safety and quality bodies.

  • SafeCert Awards

    Abertay Training is an approved SafeCert Awarding Centre, delivering nationally recognised trainer qualifications accredited by SafeCert Awards — the UK's leading awarding body for health and safety training.

  • SafeCert CPD

    All Abertay Training courses are CPD (Continuing Professional Development) accredited by SafeCert, meaning delegates can count their training towards their annual CPD requirements.

  • IOSH Managing Safely

    Abertay Training is an approved provider of IOSH Managing Safely, the world's most popular health and safety qualification for managers and supervisors, awarded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

  • IOSH Working Safely

    Abertay Training is an approved provider of IOSH Working Safely, the internationally recognised health and safety qualification for all levels of the workforce, awarded by IOSH.

  • IFE Affiliate

    Abertay Training is an affiliate organisation of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), confirming that our fire safety trainer courses meet the professional standards set by the IFE.

  • ISO 9001 Quality

    Abertay Training holds ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, independently audited by ISOQAR and accredited by UKAS, demonstrating our commitment to consistent, high-quality training delivery.

  • ISO 14001 Environmental

    Abertay Training holds ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification, demonstrating our commitment to minimising environmental impact across all our training operations.

  • ISO 45001 Safety

    Abertay Training holds ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification, the international standard for workplace health and safety, independently audited by ISOQAR and accredited by UKAS.

  • Backcare Member

    Abertay Training is a Professional Member of Backcare, the UK charity for back and neck pain. This membership confirms that our manual handling and patient handling trainer courses meet Backcare's professional standards.

  • RoSPA Member

    Abertay Training is a member of RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), the UK's leading safety organisation, reinforcing our commitment to the highest standards of health and safety training.

Abertay Training holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, is a SafeCert Approved Centre, an approved provider of IOSH Managing Safely and IOSH Working Safely, an IFE Affiliate, and a professional member of Backcare and RoSPA.

Venue Information

Choose your preferred training location. All venues offer the same high-quality course with full certification.

Online Zoom

Location

Learn from anywhere in the UK

Contact

0333 500 5000

Course Hours

10:00 AM - 4:30 PM (2 days)

✓ Online Course Benefits

  • • No travel costs - save time and money
  • • Same Level 3 SafeCert certification
  • • Live instructor via Zoom (not recorded)
  • • All trainer resources included
  • • Interactive practical demonstrations
Online Zoom training session with professional instructor

What Our Students Say

4.8(5 verified reviews)
✓ Verified

"Excellent course, very well structured and the trainer was knowledgeable and engaging. I feel fully prepared to deliver training in my workplace."

Sarah Mitchell

HR Manager, NHS Trust

Edinburgh · November 2024

✓ Verified

"Outstanding training experience. The practical elements were particularly valuable and I now have the confidence to train my colleagues effectively."

James Robertson

Health & Safety Officer, Construction Ltd

Glasgow · October 2024

✓ Verified

"Very professional and thorough. The course exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend Abertay Training to anyone looking to become a qualified trainer."

Emma Thompson

Team Leader, Care Home Group

Dundee · September 2024

✓ Verified

"Great course content and delivery. The materials provided are excellent and will be very useful when I deliver training to my team."

Michael Chen

Operations Manager, Manufacturing Co

Aberdeen · August 2024

✓ Verified

"Brilliant experience from start to finish. The online booking was easy, the venue was excellent, and the training itself was first class."

Lisa Anderson

Training Coordinator, Local Authority

Perth · July 2024