The Event Medical Association, a new body representing medical providers working within the events industry, will launch at The Showman’s Show. The organisation, whose inception has been supported by the National Outdoor Event Association (NOEA), is part of a shared vision to build stronger foundations within the industry.

The Event Medical Association, or Event Medical, will answer the call to provide events with closer, more standardised, and coherent working practices within the sector. It will also address incoming governance that will regulate the medical treatment of attendees at events.

In its initial stages, Event Medical will sit on the NOEA Council and be part of its website.

NOEA will encourage dual membership of both associations amongst its many members concerned with medical support at events.

The Event Medical Association will launch with 12 members and is expected to double that support within a year.

The associations core objectives are:

• To promote the highest standards of medical care at outdoor events
• To encourage and support good clinical and corporate governance
• To encourage and support continued development of staff and volunteers, and the maintenance of their qualifications and competencies
• To share experience and good practice and provide mutual support
• To provide a forum for discussion and debate amongst event medical providers
• To represent the event medical sector and actively promote its good standing

Talking on the launch, Chris Howes, one of the Event Medical Association’s co-founders, commented: “The government is looking at regulation that will examine the way medicine is provided at major events and, for us, it’s important that the industry has a voice in these discussions, the Event Medical Association allows us to this.”

He continued: “Many in the industry have also been calling for an association that represents the very highest quality of care given at events, and a clear articulation of what ‘good’ looks like for organisers. Again, this association can both map out and benchmark quality across the sector. At the Event Medical Association, we are bringing together businesses with shared values around quality care for the people we look after and support for the practitioners who provide it.”

Tom Clements, president of NOEA, said: “It remains a priority for NOEA to support the continual progression and professionalism of the industry. That is why, with our colleagues at The Showman’s Show, we have supported the set-up of the Event Medical Association. We already have a number of medical providers within the NOEA membership and, through our partnership with the Event Medical Association, we are able to give them dual membership to both.”