Recommended Event Medical Support for Tier 1 Events
- 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
Determining Your Specific Needs
- Type of event: A high-risk sports event requires more cover than a low-risk classical music concert.
- Audience profile: The age and activity level of attendees (e.g., families vs. young people consuming alcohol) affects potential medical needs.
- Duration and time of year: Longer events and extreme weather conditions (e.g., heatwaves) increase the likelihood of medical incidents.
- Venue and location: Consider whether the event is indoors or outdoors and its proximity to the nearest NHS hospital and A&E department.
- Activities: Events involving hazardous activities will require a higher level of provision.
Key Steps for Event Organisers
- Conduct a Risk Assessment: It is the event organiser’s responsibility to perform a thorough medical needs assessment to determine the appropriate level of cover.
- Consult Local Authorities: Engage with your local NHS ambulance service and Safety Advisory Group (SAG) for guidance and to ensure compliance with local authority and licensing requirements.
- Appoint a Competent Provider: When hiring external medical providers, ensure they have valid Public Liability Insurance and that their staff are suitably qualified and registered with the appropriate professional bodies (e.g., the HCPC for paramedics).
- Ensure CQC Registration: If the provider is expected to transport patients to the hospital AND/OR provide Event Medical Support by Healthcare Professionals above that of first aid only, they must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Ambulance Transport, or Treatment of Disease, Disorder or Injury.
TIER 1
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
At RTC Medical Solutions, our priority is the safety and well-being of your attendees, rooted in a genuine commitment to public health rather than profit margins or industry optics. We believe that high-quality medical cover should be a cornerstone of every event, not a luxury or a branding exercise. By focusing on clinical excellence and meticulous risk assessment, we ensure that our presence is effective and dependable, providing a safety net that allows your event to thrive. For us, success isn’t measured by the size of our logo on a vest, but by the quiet confidence of knowing that every guest is in professional, capable hands.
