The aims of the NWSMP are to:
- Equip anyone working in, on or near water with essential knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about managing safety
- Enable group leaders to deliver safer activity at open water sites
- Develop occupational water safety skills for employees working around the water margins
- Facilitate compliance with Statutory and Civil obligations, especially the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 with related regulations and covering Safe Systems of Work
- Develop effective Emergency Response Skills for those working in a water-based environment

Follow the link below to find the syllabus for the NWSMP Levels 1,2 + 3

NWSMP Syllabus

The programme starts with the Level 1, `Water Safety Awareness’ module which is comprised of two units. Candidates progressing to Levels 2 and 3 must first successfully complete Level 1.

Unit 1
- 2 hrs Pre-course Self Study
- Where, Why and How do people drown?
- Effects of temperature : differences between Indoor & Outdoor
- UK Drowning Statistics
- Causes of Drowning and the Drowning Prevention Model
- Understanding Open-Water Hazards
- Physiology of Drowning and Associated Medical Conditions
- Key legal obligations and Duty of Care
- Principles of Risk Management
- Operating Procedures, Emergency Action Plans and Emergency Management
- Personal Protective Equipment and Rescue Equipment
- Question Paper

Unit 2
- 4 hours of guided learning
- Practical Open Water Safety Management and Personal Safety
- Challenging Perceptions of Water Safety
- Revision of Classification of Hazards
- Development of Risk Assessments and Appropriate Control Measures
- Group Activity Management
- Casualty Recognition
- Rescue Principles and Sequence
- Rescue Skills Breakdown
- Application of Basic Emergency Response (land based)

Syllabus for Level 2 Environment Specific Modules
- Interaction and variability
- General water hazards
- Generic hazard categories
- Site and activity selection
- Development of water safety management plans
- Personal protective equipment
- Understand principles of rescuer safety including entries and exits
- Principles of rescue, Shout, Signal, Reach, Throw Wade
- Application practical risk assessment & implementation of appropriate control measures
- Application of Operating procedures and emergency action plans
- Practical simulated group management
- Practical emergency response and rescue techniques

Syllabus for Level 3
- Principles of rescue involving towing techniques
- Personal safety
- Safe entries and exits
- Approach to casualties
- Casualty management and aftercare
- Principles of casualty spinal injury management
- Liaising with Emergency Services
- Simulated non-contact tow of a conscious casualty in deep water (30m)
- Simulated contact tow of an unconscious casualty in deep water (15m)
- Underwater Search
- Application of operating procedures and emergency action plans