horsegirl
Well-Known Member
If a show charges first aid can they use volunteers, albeit qualified first aiders? If so, what is the charge for?
First aid at shows
- Thread starter horsegirl
- Start date
evsj
Well-Known Member
I think even the 'volunteers' cost money now. I used to be on a riding club committee and when we organised events we always discussed the booking and paying of st Johns ambulance, or similar.
Having said that....a certain show centre near us charges for first aid but I have no idea who actually does this because there is never an medical team in attendance. Am guessing that one of the organisers does it but that is a bit cheeky charging for it when they are there anyway...and wonder what quals they have???
Having said that....a certain show centre near us charges for first aid but I have no idea who actually does this because there is never an medical team in attendance. Am guessing that one of the organisers does it but that is a bit cheeky charging for it when they are there anyway...and wonder what quals they have???
the watcher
Well-Known Member
Whenever I have made a charge for First Aid it has been for qualified paramedics with a vehcle and equipment, wouldn't dream of it otherwise..from the point of view of event insurance though I wouldn't run one without this level of support
OWLIE185
Well-Known Member
If you use a qualified first aider you will need them to take out 3rd party liability insurance policy so that they are covered for giving first aid to a member of the public. They can get this from their certifying body i.e St Johns Ambulance etc.
Law
Well-Known Member
Bit of an aside here but I went to a show in the summer and needed medical attention- I went to the sec tent and three calls were put out for the nurse that they were using. 25 mins later and there was still no sight of her so they rung her mobile and she toddled over only to tell me that she couldn't help!
Ended up having to go to casualty myself after the show!
On the flip side i've been on the committee organising a show and we had to hire st johns as cover and charged £1 first aid (might have been £2) We had an accident and the St Johns response was first class and person was shipped off to casualty. So from our point of view it totally justified the fees associated with hiring paramedics.
On the flip side i've been on the committee organising a show and we had to hire st johns as cover and charged £1 first aid (might have been £2) We had an accident and the St Johns response was first class and person was shipped off to casualty. So from our point of view it totally justified the fees associated with hiring paramedics.
dieseldog
Well-Known Member
I got asked to pay first aid £3 per rider per day at The Hand on the weekend. First time that I've had to pay at a permanent centre. I did check tht they actually had someone on site, and later checked they were getting paid, otherwise I wouldn't have paid it. They have 2 very visible paramedics with a fast reponse vehicle now.
Rambo
Well-Known Member
Of the three 'permanent' sites i regularly compete at over the winter, one has a highly visible presence (with fully kitted out vehicles and everything on site !) and charges £3 per competitor per day. One charges £2 or £3 per competitor per day but uses one of the 'helpers' to provide the medical cover. The other charges nothing and a 'helper' provides the cover.
On a larger scale, i don't recall paying anything for medical cover at Hickstead last year...correct me if i'm wrong
Having said that the entry fees and membership fees there should have covered the costs and some
On a larger scale, i don't recall paying anything for medical cover at Hickstead last year...correct me if i'm wrong
virtual
Well-Known Member
We'd booked StJohn ambulence 4 months before our show last year, it was confirmed by letter etc, and the show has raised money for them in the past as their official charity. 3 days before the show they pulled out, so most people had paid the first aid fee (I think £2) already. We found emergency cover from two volunteers, but obviously this wasn't ideal at all.
We're going to go for the Red Cross this year.
We're going to go for the Red Cross this year.
the watcher
Well-Known Member
I book St ohn a few years back - having confirmed and taken the booking money, they just didn't show up, leaving us seriously in the lurch..have always used private companies since then
gemma1992
Well-Known Member
I am with St.John Ambulance and I often first aid at horse shows.
I think the show organisers pay a certain fee to the main St John Ambulance headquarters and they then inform the nearest unit to send out some volenteers. (I could be wrong)
I think the show organisers pay a certain fee to the main St John Ambulance headquarters and they then inform the nearest unit to send out some volenteers. (I could be wrong)
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Our Pony Club charged for first aid, I can't remember how much, 50p or a pound on the first entry maybe. We HAD to have First Aid cover for our Insurance to be valid, a "Donation" was then paid to whoever we had on the day, I believe the money then goes towards further training and equipment for them. It was always a bit of a sore point with me that we gave a Donation rather than the full amount
raised on the First Aid fees, the PC may be a Charity but so are the First Aiders and they were doing us a favour. Several of us at the PC had First Aid qualifications which were sufficient for Showing Shows but we had to have a St Johns present for jumping shows, our qualifications weren't deemed sufficient for SJ.
If the organisers are using First Aiders then it's up to them whether they charge or not, I suppose money raised could be used to fund further training and equipment. As a Show Secretary I don't know what I would have said if someone had refused to pay......."Don't fall off and hurt yourself then?" perhaps. It seems to be the norm now to pay so no-one complains.
If the organisers are using First Aiders then it's up to them whether they charge or not, I suppose money raised could be used to fund further training and equipment. As a Show Secretary I don't know what I would have said if someone had refused to pay......."Don't fall off and hurt yourself then?" perhaps. It seems to be the norm now to pay so no-one complains.
susan_w
Well-Known Member
First Aid is very expensive to organise if you go for a professional company (which we do). Very often, we do not cover the cost that the first aid company are charging us, and have to cover this ourselves.
We put on our entry forms that it is to cover first aid and arena party. This is to pay (a pittance) to the people on the gate, pole picker uppers etc.
We never cover that cost to be honest - if we worked out over a year what the first aid costs us and what we pay out, then we would barely cover it. It's a difficult one, as with such a sue culture these days most first aiders can't do anything and will call an ambulance in any event. But legally we have to have cover, so we just do it.
Moodimare, I'm sure that I can guess which show centre you are talking about, but their show secretary and the permanent judges there are all qualified first aiders.
If ever in doubt, then ask the show organiser to confirm what their first aid arrangements are.
We put on our entry forms that it is to cover first aid and arena party. This is to pay (a pittance) to the people on the gate, pole picker uppers etc.
We never cover that cost to be honest - if we worked out over a year what the first aid costs us and what we pay out, then we would barely cover it. It's a difficult one, as with such a sue culture these days most first aiders can't do anything and will call an ambulance in any event. But legally we have to have cover, so we just do it.
Moodimare, I'm sure that I can guess which show centre you are talking about, but their show secretary and the permanent judges there are all qualified first aiders.
If ever in doubt, then ask the show organiser to confirm what their first aid arrangements are.
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
One of my local RC's has a first aid team including ambulance on site for the entire duration of the show. and they charge £1 per competitior per day.
It is worth its weight in gold though as the show has has several nasty accidents over the years mainly caused by horses that shouldnt be on a show field at all. there was one horse that struggled to keep its front feet on the floor for more then 5 seconds, that went over on its rider and the ambulance was dispatched off to the local hospital. Then the mother of the rider, put the horse on the lorry where it proceded to kick and crash round untill it kicked its way out of the box. the horse was then caught, the mother of the original rider got on the horse just outside the warm up ring and the horse went straight up in the air and over onto the replacement ambulance! smashed the entire ambulance up!
Thankfully they were banned from bringing that horse back to any of the other shows.
I do resent paying for first aid though when they dont have all the gear and the ambulance on the field, as im a qualified first aider, and mum is a registered nurse and paramedic who has done everything from intensive care to flying ambulance.
It is worth its weight in gold though as the show has has several nasty accidents over the years mainly caused by horses that shouldnt be on a show field at all. there was one horse that struggled to keep its front feet on the floor for more then 5 seconds, that went over on its rider and the ambulance was dispatched off to the local hospital. Then the mother of the rider, put the horse on the lorry where it proceded to kick and crash round untill it kicked its way out of the box. the horse was then caught, the mother of the original rider got on the horse just outside the warm up ring and the horse went straight up in the air and over onto the replacement ambulance! smashed the entire ambulance up!
Thankfully they were banned from bringing that horse back to any of the other shows.
I do resent paying for first aid though when they dont have all the gear and the ambulance on the field, as im a qualified first aider, and mum is a registered nurse and paramedic who has done everything from intensive care to flying ambulance.