From Glastonbury to the London marathon—event medicine doctors are in the dark over new regulation

AI Summary

The Care Quality Commission is preparing to regulate medical providers at sporting and cultural events in England, ending their previous exemption from scrutiny. The change follows findings from the Manchester Arena Inquiry, which identified weaknesses in risk assessment and the training of medical responders after the 2017 attack.

Event medicine provision is about to undergo a major shake up as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) begins regulation of the sector that until now has been exempt from scrutiny.The overhaul follows a recommendation made in the Manchester Arena Inquiry, which identified several failings in the emergency response to the 2017 terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert that killed 22 people and injured more than a thousand.1A lack of proper risk assessment by the arena or the contracted medical provider were among the concerns raised in the inquiry in 2021, which also found that many of the first aiders working on the night lacked appropriate training and qualifications.In response to the concerns, the government removed exemptions, meaning that providers of medical care at sporting and cultural events, such as running races, concerts, and festivals, will now face CQC regulation.2Those working in the sector have largely welcomed the intention behind...