Event healthcare is bracing itself for a range of new challenges and event organisers will need to work closely with their medical providers to meet them.
Events vary widely – and so it seems does the standard of medical care they provide for their customers and crew. Some companies are very professional and deliver high-quality care, yet we have all heard horror stories about dodgy outfits providing cover that is questionable at best and unacceptable at worst.
Regulation and oversight
At present, healthcare in just about every setting is strictly regulated in the UK; hospitals, general practices, care homes and ambulance services all have to meet set standards and are subject to periodic inspection. Not so care delivered on site at events where there is currently no such oversight. In the aftermath of the Manchester Arena tragedy this is about to change, with the remit of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) being extended to include event locations, while the Event Healthcare Standard, soon to be published, is expected to set out clear expectations of what good medical provision should look like.
Anyone who has been through a CQC inspection will know how forensic these can be and the amount of preparatory work needed to satisfy the inspectors. Even providers already hitting a good standard will have to invest a great deal of time and effort and along with the fees charged for registration, this will add up to a significant expense. Others with little realistic chance of meeting the required standard may elect to leave the sector – perhaps no bad thing – but this could lead to a shortage of available cover.
First aid services are not subject to CQC regulation and this raises an obvious danger. To save costs, some events may be tempted to dispense with medical cover and make do with a first aid service. Nothing could be more disrespectful to the victims of Manchester than these measures bringing about a worsening care at events rather than the intended improvement. Authorities must be alert to this and refuse to license events where it is proposed.
Rising expectations
People attending events are consumers and increasingly reluctant to accept poor value for money. When they buy their ticket for an event, they are looking not only for quality entertainment but also a positive overall experience; very reasonably they expect to be treated with consideration and respect, have the use of good facilities and receive effective and empathetic care if they become unwell or suffer an injury. They may complain volubly if they don’t get it. Medical services and event organisers should be alert to the increasing risk of reputational damage and to up their game where necessary.
Less help available from the NHS
Events should not expect the NHS to fill in the gaps left by inadequate on-site provision. Over-stretched hospitals and ambulance services are less able to provide a timely response to requests for help unless in a real emergency, so events need to plan a “do it yourself” approach to managing illness and injury safely on site wherever possible.
Rising costs
The cost of implementing the regulatory changes and achieving the higher standards required will be considerable and begin to be incurred as soon as the Event Healthcare Standard is published and CQC registration opens. Events take place in a competitive environment and against a background of steadily rising costs. Organisers want to direct as much of their budget as possible towards the creative side of their event and may be reluctant to increase ticket prices to meet higher quotes for medical and other support services.
New medical challenges
Synthetic opioids have been around for a few years now and the threat they pose seems to be increasing. Swift and effective action is required to save lives when they occur. Drink and needle-spiking and sexual assault are becoming more common at some events and other new challenges, perhaps in the shape of novel infectious diseases may emerge.
What to do?
Planning the right healthcare
It is likely that the Event Healthcare Standard will support a three-stage approach to planning medical cover:
- Medical risk assessment of the event
This requires the cooperation of event organisers, who know their event better than anyone and the medical provider who knows what to ask
- Medical needs assessment
This sets out the medical provider’s assessment of what staff, facilities and equipment are required to mitigate the risks identified – including both what is sure to happen and what is less likely but can be reasonably foreseen
- Detailed medical plan
This describes the detailed service the provider proposes to put in place. It needs to be accepted by the event organiser and approved by the licensing authority where applicable
The intention should be to deal with all but the most serious cases on site and transfer those promptly and safely to somewhere their needs can be met.
Setting a realistic budget
Safe and effective cover cannot be provided on the cheap and events need to budget for an on-site service which will satisfy both the coming regulations and the reasonable expectations of those attending. Successful events look after their customers and strive to give them the best possible all-round experience. Nowhere is this more important than ensuring they are kept safe and receive good healthcare when they need it. Events should prioritise quality and budget accordingly.