Every event — from a village fete to a music festival — carries the risk of medical emergencies. Heat exhaustion, slips, falls, allergic reactions, cardiac events, and alcohol-related illness can all occur without warning. Having professional medical cover on site isn’t just good practice — for many events, it’s a legal requirement.
Your Legal Duty of Care
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, event organisers have a legal duty to ensure the health and safety of everyone attending their event. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires organisers to carry out a risk assessment and put appropriate measures in place — including first aid provision.
For events requiring a premises licence or Temporary Event Notice (TEN), local authorities and the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) may stipulate minimum medical cover as a condition of approval.
What Level of Medical Cover Do You Need?
The level of medical provision depends on several factors:
- Attendance numbers — larger crowds need more medical staff
- Event type — sporting events, festivals, and events with alcohol carry higher risk
- Duration — multi-day events need shift cover and more resources
- Demographics — events attracting elderly attendees, children, or vulnerable groups need tailored provision
- Location — remote venues with longer ambulance response times need higher on-site capability
- Weather — outdoor events in summer or winter carry additional risks
The Purple Guide (for events) and HSE guidance provide frameworks for calculating medical requirements based on these factors.
Types of Event Medical Services
Event medical cover can range from basic first aid to full paramedic capability:
- First aiders — for small, low-risk events. Qualified to treat minor injuries and stabilise patients
- Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) — intermediate level, able to administer certain medications and use more advanced equipment
- Paramedics — highest pre-hospital care level, able to administer a wide range of drugs and perform advanced interventions
- Medical treatment centres — temporary on-site facilities for larger events
- Ambulance provision — on-site vehicles for patient transport to hospital
Benefits of Integrated Security and Medical Services
Having your security and medical teams provided by the same company offers significant advantages:
- Unified communications — security and medical teams on the same radio channel
- Coordinated response — security clears a path while medics treat the patient
- Single point of contact — one provider to brief, coordinate, and debrief
- Consistent training standards — all staff trained to the same protocols
- Cost efficiency — bundled services often cost less than separate providers
Event Medical Services in East Anglia
Exclusive Protection Services provides professional event medical cover alongside our security services across Suffolk, Norfolk, and East Anglia. From qualified first aiders for small gatherings to full paramedic teams for major events, we ensure your attendees are protected. Our integrated approach means security and medical teams work seamlessly together. Contact us to discuss medical cover for your next event.
