Event Medical Services Risk Calculator
What is an Event Medical Services Calculator
Event Medical Services Calculator
Expert Guidance Based on The Purple Guide
Planning a safe event can be complex, and determining the appropriate level of medical cover is one of the most critical steps. Many organisers find themselves asking: “How many medical staff are enough?” or “Do I require an ambulance on-site?”
To provide clarity and ensure your event meets national safety standards, we developed the RTC Event Medical Services Calculator. Our tool is built directly upon the Event Industry Forum’s “Purple Guide” scoring system, providing you with an evidence-based starting point for your medical provision planning.
Critical Compliance: What Every Organiser Should Know
Before calculating your requirements, it is vital to understand the legal distinctions regarding medical equipment and registration:
CQC Registration is Mandatory: By legal definition, an ambulance is a vehicle intended to transport patients to a hospital. If your medical provider offers an ambulance, they must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). RTC Medical Solutions maintains full compliance to ensure your event is legally protected.
Ambulances are Not Treatment Rooms: The HSE specifically advises that ambulances should not be used as static treatment centres. A professional setup requires a dedicated first aid post or medical centre to manage patients safely while keeping ambulances free for emergencies.
Our calculator accounts for these distinctions, helping you differentiate between static care needs and emergency transport requirements.
How to Use Our Event Medical Services Calculator
Determine your requirements in three simple steps:
Input Your Details: Answer the questions below regarding your event type, expected attendance, and venue geography.
Generate Your Score: The calculator will produce a risk score based on the official HSE framework.
View Recommendations: Use our Conversion Table to see the suggested staffing levels—from First Aiders to Paramedics—and the types of vehicles required.
Most Up-To-Date Guidance: Use the Tiering system for a more up-to-date understanding of your requirements.
Need a Formal Risk Assessment?
While this calculator provides an excellent baseline, high-risk or complex events often require a bespoke medical plan. Our Health & Safety Officers are available to provide a comprehensive, site-specific risk assessment to ensure total compliance.
[Contact Our Clinical Team on 01782 776110] | [Request a Professional Quote]
Why this version works:
Establishes Authority: By mentioning the Purple Guide and CQC prominently, you show that you aren’t just “guessing” numbers—you are following the law.
Education-Led Selling: You explain why they need a treatment centre and why CQC matters, which justifies the professional setup you provide.
Clear Hierarchy: Uses headings and bullet points so a busy event organiser can find the information they need in seconds.
Event planning can be a daunting task & many event organisers are unsure of the level of Event Medical Services they require. ‘How many medical staff do we need?’ and ‘Do we need an ambulance?’ are common questions that event organisers have but don’t have the answers to, our Event Medical Services Calculator may be able to clear up any questions. Working with the Health and Safety Executives Purple Guide for event planning, we designed our Event Medical Services Calculator based on the HSE’s scoring system. This has been developed to guide you through the planning for medical provision that you may need for your event.
It is important to remember that an Ambulance by definition is used to transport patients to hospital when required and so your provider MUST be registered with the Care Quality Commission. The Health and Safety Executive also stress that Ambulances should not be used as a treatment centre/area, this is where our Event Medical Services Calculator helps.
In order to get a better idea of the level of event medical services your event requires, simply answer the questions on the Event Medical Services Calculator below to get your score and then use the conversion table to see what level of medical services you might require at your event.
Event planning can be a daunting task & many event organisers are unsure of the level of Event Medical Services they require. ‘How many medical staff do we need?’ and ‘Do we need an ambulance?’ are common questions that event organisers have but don’t have the answers to, our Event Medical Services Calculator may be able to clear up any questions. Working with the Health and Safety Executives Purple Guide for event planning, we designed our Event Medical Services Calculator based on the HSE’s scoring system. This has been developed to guide you through the planning for medical provision that you may need for your event.
It is important to remember that an Ambulance by definition is used to transport patients to hospital when required and so your provider MUST be registered with the Care Quality Commission. The Health and Safety Executive also stress that Ambulances should not be used as a treatment centre/area, this is where our Event Medical Services Calculator helps.
In order to get a better idea of the level of event medical services your event requires, simply answer the questions on the Event Medical Services Calculator below to get your score and then use the conversion table to see what level of medical services you might require at your event.
Latest Event Guidance - Tiering System
TIER 1
5.7 Tier 1 events are the smallest and simplest events.
The presence of some of these factors indicates that an event may be in Tier I:
- duration of a few hours or less
- no activities carrying a risk of injury
- no or minimal alcohol consumption
- no or minimal recreational drug use
- fewer than five hundred attendees
- hospital referrals very unlikely
Cover level
Tier 1 events can often be safely covered without a healthcare professional or an ambulance in attendance. Although in some cases organisers might not need to provide a contracted resource, they should still consider:
- provision of a suitable first aid kit and someone able to use it
- location of the nearest defibrillator and how to access and use it (defibfinder.uk)
- ensuring that appropriate people know how to access emergency assistance
TIER 2
5.8 Tier 2 events are somewhat larger events which often fall within the scope of local authority licensing.
The presence of some of these indicates that an event may be in Tier 2:
- duration more than a few hours but no longer than a day
- low risk of illness or injury from activities
- social drinking of alcohol
- no more than isolated drug use
- up to two thousand attendees
- hospital referrals unlikely
Cover level
Tier 2 events need a dedicated first aid resource, preferably led by a healthcare professional.
Where indicated by the medical needs assessment, provision may include:
- a nominated lead who is responsible for the delivery of the service on site
- supporting first responders or healthcare professionals
- an ambulance with suitably qualified crew if hospital transfers are expected
TIER 3
5.9 Tier 3 are normally larger events with greater potential for illness and injury.
The presence of some of these indicates that an event may be in Tier 3:
- duration more than one day
- moderate risk of illness or injury from activities
- alcohol intoxication likely
- drug intoxication likely
- up to five thousand attendees
- hospital referrals foreseeable
Cover level
Tier 3 events need a dedicated medical resource.
Provision should normally include:
- a clinical lead, who should be a registered healthcare professional with pre-hospital experience
- other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, paramedics and nurses
- first responders
- ambulance(s) with suitably qualified crew if hospital transfers are expected
TIER 4
5.10 Tier 4 are larger and more complex events, where more medical presentations may be expected
The presence of some of these indicates that an event may be in Tier 4:
- duration one to several days
- significant risk of illness or injury from activities
- alcohol intoxication expected
- drug intoxication expected
- up to ten thousand attendees
- hospital referrals likely
Cover level
Tier 4 events need a dedicated medical resource.
Provision should normally include:
- a clinical lead, who should be a registered healthcare professional with pre-hospital experience
- healthcare professionals, such as doctors, paramedics and nurses
- first responders
- ambulance(s) with suitably qualified crew
TIER 5
5.11 Tier 5 are the largest or most complex events, including all mass gatherings, as well as smaller events that have higher risks.
The presence of some of these indicates that an event may be in Tier 5:
- duration several days
- high risk of illness and injuries
- alcohol intoxication expected
- drug intoxication expected
- more than ten thousand attendees
- referrals to hospital expected
Cover level
Tier 5 events need a comprehensive dedicated medical resource.
Provision should normally include:
- a clinical lead, who should be a registered doctor, preferably an emergency medicine specialist
- registered healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses and paramedics
- first responders
- ambulances with suitably qualified crew
- control staff
- Organisers should ensure that sufficient medical resources are provided to deliver the level of cover required throughout the event. If an ambulance and crew are required to undertake a hospital transfer, this should not compromise the cover left on site.
- Prospective medical providers should submit a specific Medical Needs Assessment which should be used to determine the extent and level of cover required. This will then be used to create a detailed Medical Plan.
The original risk calculator system
Risk Calculator Score Conversion Table
| SCORE | FIRST RESPONDER | AMBULANCES /PERSONNEL | DOCTOR | NURSE | NHS AMBULANCE MANAGER | SUPPORT UNIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 20 | 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21-25 | 6 | 1 / 2 | 0 | 0 | VISIT | 0 |
| 26-30 | 8 | 1 / 2 | 0 | 0 | VISIT | 0 |
| 31-35 | 12 | 2 / 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 36-40 | 20 | 3 / 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 41-50 | 40 | 4 / 12 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 51-60 | 60 | 4 / 12 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 61-65 | 80 | 5 / 14 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 66-70 | 100 | 6 / 16 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 2 |
| 71-75 | 150 | 10 / 24 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 3 |
| > 75 | 200+ | 15+ / 35+ | 12+ | 24+ | 8+ | 3 |
Is your calculator current?
The Purple Guide was created to ensure that you have an adequate level of medical support at your event. It is important to note that the current guide is considered somewhat confusing in that it suggests that if an event operates over one day, it must fall into a Tier 3 category (see table below). However, if your event has a capacity of less than 500 people at any one time and overnight camping over 3 days, then it falls into both a Tier 1 and Tier 3 category. Because of this inconsistency, some ambulance services have opted to consider the old scoring system for some events. Please also note that the guide is updated on a regular basis and we try to keep this information as current as possible, this information is only as current as the date it is published.
By taking both calculators into account, you, as an event organiser will be in a better position to decide on the most appropriate level of cover for your event. If you need any further assistance in planning your event and/or resources, get in touch with our team who will be more than happy to assist.
