First Aid for Events: Is First Aid Enough?
When planning an event, whether it's a local festival, sports tournament, music concert, or charity fundraiser, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of attendees must be a top priority. But is basic first aid enough? As event organisers navigate their legal and moral responsibilities, it's crucial to understand the difference between first aid provision and full medical event cover.
Understanding Medical Requirements for Events
The level of medical support required at an event depends on several factors, including:
The number of attendees
Type of activity or risk involved
Venue size and access
Duration of the event
Proximity to emergency services
Basic first aid may be sufficient for small, low-risk events. However, for larger or higher-risk events, more comprehensive medical cover is essential. The Purple Guide, widely recognised as best practice for event planning in the UK, outlines the minimum standard of first aid provision. It recommends that event medical personnel should hold at least a FREC 3 (First Response Emergency Care Level 3) qualification. This ensures that responders have the clinical skills to assess and manage more complex incidents safely.
Beyond First Aid: The Role of CQC-Regulated Services
If medical providers are delivering treatment or transporting patients outside of the event site (for example, to a hospital or a patient’s home), they must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). CQC regulation ensures that providers meet stringent standards for patient safety, clinical governance, staffing, and safeguarding.
Some event first aid providers are not CQC-registered, which limits the scope of care they can offer. If an attendee requires more than basic first aid or needs off-site transport, these providers may have to rely on the NHS to take over care — increasing pressure on already stretched emergency services.
Conveyance and the NHS: Why Proper Planning Matters
One of the most important considerations when arranging medical cover for an event is how medical incidents will be managed without impacting the NHS. NHS ambulance services are under immense strain, and it's essential that event organisers put in place systems to minimise avoidable call-outs.
Using a professional, CQC-registered event medical provider like MET Medical means:
Patients can be assessed and treated on-site by qualified professionals
Off-site conveyance can be managed without relying on NHS ambulances
Onward care is seamless, safe, and regulated
This reduces the risk of delayed care for event-goers and ensures local NHS services remain available for emergencies in the wider community.
Changes to CQC Event Exemptions
Until now, there has been an exemption in place allowing some event medical providers to deliver limited care without CQC registration. However, this is set to change. Upcoming reforms to the exemption criteria will mean that more providers must register with the CQC if they are to continue operating legally, especially if any level of treatment or transport beyond the event boundary is involved.
This change is designed to raise standards, improve patient safety, and ensure greater accountability across the sector. Organisers should start reviewing their provider's credentials now to avoid disruption or compliance issues later.
What Should Event Organisers Look For?
When choosing a medical provider, it's no longer enough to ask for "first aid". Organisers must ensure they are engaging a provider who can deliver end-to-end medical care, fully compliant with UK regulations.
Key questions to ask include:
Are your team members FREC 3 qualified or higher?
Are you CQC-registered?
What is your CQC rating?
Do you have experience in the types of event being hosted?
Can you provide your own transport to the hospital, or will you have to call 999?
The MET Medical Difference
At MET Medical, we provide CQC-registered, clinically-led event medical services across the UK. Our experienced team includes paramedics, nurses, and advanced practitioners, supported by robust clinical governance and patient safety protocols. Whether it's a major festival or a community fun day, we scale our resources to meet the needs of your event — while keeping attendees safe and avoiding unnecessary strain on the NHS.