Manx Organisation for Motorsport Medical Officers and Paramedics

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Information for Doctors and Paramedics

Updated for TT and MGP 2012

Statement on TT Medical Services from:-
* Dr. Gareth Davies
* Dr. Gruff Evans
* Dr. Heike Romer
* Dr. David B. Stevens MBE

We are pleased to report the Medical Services provided for TT 2011 ran very smoothly and all of the incidents, that occurred during the event, were swiftly and appropriately dealt with. Many thanks to all of the Doctors, Paramedics, EMT’s and First Aid personnel for their efforts, as well as for the tireless efforts from members of Isle of Man Motorsport Medical Services.

Following on from the problems in late 2010 and early part of 2011, certain key members of the medical team have had discussions both internally and with the event organisers, ACU Events Ltd., regarding the future of the TT medical services.

We are pleased to say we have reached an agreement with ACU Events Ltd over a medical structure we believe will allow us to provide medical services for the TT over the coming years, providing consistency and security for the event.

The intention is to establish a Senior Medical Officers panel, comprising three experienced TT doctors, who will work closely with Dr David Stevens MBE and his team at Motorsport Medical Services, in order to deliver the medical service.

The Senior Medical Officers panel will also work closely with ACU Events Ltd and provide medical input into the Senior Race Management team, both before and during the event.

The Chief Medical Officer for the event will be appointed from the Senior Medical Officers panel. This will largely depend upon the availability of the individual doctors concerned. For the time being the three doctors on the panel will be Dr Gareth Davies, Dr Gruff Evans and Dr Heike Romer.

Anyone wanting further information about TT medical services, or wishing to contact any of the medical team should do so through Motorsport Medical Services, The Hoggery, Nobles Park, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 4BD. Tel 01624 628999 e-mail mail@mms.org.im

Dr. David B. Stevens MBE is responsible for the content of this website.

Introduction

Courtesy of Paul Phillips I hope the contents of these pages will answer some of the questions you may have about being a motorsport Medical Officer or Paramedic on the Isle of Man TT Course for the TT Races and the Manx Grand Prix.

Even if you have been a Medical Officer or Paramedic before you might find the information for 2012 of interest!!

The questions answered are as follows:-

1. Can any Doctor or Paramedic help on the TT Course?

DOCTORS

In order to act as a Medical Officer (MO) on the Isle of Man TT Course a doctor needs to have FULL registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and [as of November 2008] have a current GMC licence to practice.

Doctors must also NOT be restricted by the GMC, to working within an APS [ Approved Practice Setting ].

Doctors also need full medical malpractice indemnity for prehospital immediate care activities i.e. outside Hospital or General Practice.

If you are a doctor from the UK mainland then your base hospital "Crown Indemnity" does not cover you for working at motorsport events and you must have separate appropriate medical malpractice indemnity. However since January 2007, if you are a hospital 'Junior Doctor' then you are covered at ACU events by the same medical malpractice insurance arrangements that have been in place for state registered paramedics since 2005.

PARAMEDICS

If you wish to officiate as a Paramedic (P) then you need to be a State Registered Paramedic with the HPC (Health Professions Council).

If you are a State Registered Paramedic and not part of a contract between Isle of Man MOTORSPORT MEDICAL SERVICES and your own ambulance authority i.e. you are offering your services as a private individual, then from January 2005 the ACU's insurers provide insurance against medical malpractice as part of the normally required event insurance.
This also applies from January 2007 to 'Junior Doctors' but not Hospital Consultants or General Practitioners.
This is the first time a motorcycle sport organisation has been able to secure this protection. The regulatory body for 4 wheeled sport, the MSA, is also providing this unique insurance cover for individual paramedics and 'Junior Doctors'.

REMEMBER this cover is in place only for ACU or MSA regulated events so if you are covering other motorsport, horse or donkey racing etc then you will need to join an organisation that offers insurance covering medical malpractice such as the Medical Indemnity Register

2. Do I need immediate care qualifications eg ATLS, PHEC, PHTLS etc??

Not surprisingly, you are expected to have experience of pre-hospital immediate care especially basic first aid and resuscitation etc.

Current "Duty of Care" considerations would require you to be competent in dealing with somebody who has come off a bike at high speed. You will be helped by marshals with years of experience and fully equipped helicopter ambulances, the FIV (fast intervention vehicles!!) with a response time from alert to incident of about 5 minutes (the Uranium 5 minutes is a TT Course addition to the Platinum 10 or the Golden Hour!).

Whilst additional qualifications and experience are to your advantage they are not, at the moment, a requirement to be an MO or SRP at TT Course events.

This was considerably updated on 14th January 2009 and now runs to 21 pages!! The document should be read by all doctors involved in sporting and other events.

If you would like to know more about the unique practical aspect of TT course immediate care then on the first Sundays, at the beginning of TT and MGP practice weeks, there are refresher training sessions held at St. John Ambulance HQ on Glencrutchery Road in Douglas. They cover management of a TT Course incident including basic resuscitation, removal of helmets, cervical splint application, use of scoop stretchers and red head rests, log rolling, flag training and a visit to the TT grandstand control tower to show how the races are run. Also on the rugby field opposite St John HQ, where the rescue helicopters are kept, there will be one session covering the procedure for helicopter safety and casualty loading. The TTMA also run Incident Management Courses for Marshals during the winter months. For further details see www.iomttma.com

To be a medic on the TT course you also need to be medically fit with normal eyesight and hearing; preferably with 2 working legs and no angina as you may have to run a fair distance to an incident and then help carry the casualty on a scoop stretcher to the Helicopter. Whingeing about a bad back generates little sympathy and in this situation does not count as an industrial injury!!!!

3. How do I get to the Isle of Man?

BY SEA

There are regular daily sailings from Heysham, near Morecambe, to the Isle of Man. The crossing takes about 4 hours and the ship will accommodate bikes, cars and vans. There are also SeaCat sailings (2 and a half hours) from Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.

Further details are available from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company by phoning 01624 661661 or visit www.steam-packet.com.

I have very little influence with the Steam Packet on the booking of specific sailings even for Doctors or Paramedics officiating at the TT races, so please do not moan to me that you cannot get a sailing off the Island for 6 days after the last race. I KNOW the problem!!

HOWEVER for 2012, if you are having problems getting sailings in order to maximise use of your available holiday time, then contact DBS direct and he may be able to help.

On a set date in March when the payment deadline for TT bookings arrives, extra spaces on the ferries become available at which time you can change any inconvenient provisional bookings or make your first. There is no waiting list for these sailings, so you have to take your chance when the vacancies come on line - first come first served.

Everybody drifts into the Island over the TT fortnight but everyone wants to leave immediately after the last race on Friday - all 15,000 bikes and 40,000+ spectators!! TT is always a difficult time to travel and if you are trying to come over then you need to make your bookings yesterday.

For those doctors and paramedics attending the TT AND the MGP there is a refund system in place from the Steam Packet Company of up to £100. You need to be a member of the TT Marshals Association and complete their Discount Scheme Application form. This has to be countersigned by them and taken to the Ferry Travel Shop where the staff will process any refunds. For those medics only attending the MGP there will be a similar contribution towards your travel expenses but this will have to be provided by Motorsport Medical Services and has therefore to come out of the overall medic's expenses budget.

BY AIR

Aer Arann fly to and from Dublin and London City.
Details on 0800 5872324 or www.aerann.com

Flybe fly to and from Birmingham, London Gatwick [South] and Luton, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Southampton.
Details on 01392 268529 or www.flybe.com.

Manx2 fly to and from Belfast International. Belfast City, Blackpool, Gloucester [M5], Leeds Bradford, East Midlands, Newcastle and Jersey.
Details on 0871 2000440. www.manx2.com

easyJet fly to and from Liverpool ONLY.
Details on 09058210905. www.easyjet.com

4. Do I need personal transport on the Island?

Although there is long term car parking at UK Airports and also at Heysham and Liverpool docks, travelling as a foot passenger by sea or by air means you will be rather isolated once you arrive on the Island.

With the TT course length of nearly 40 miles you would be unable to get to different locations. There is no provision of organised transport around the course prior to practice sessions or on race days and therefore some type of "wheels" is fairly essential.

If you have NO transport then it will be necessary to put you at a location within walking distance of where you are staying for all the practice sessions and race days for which you are available. Public transport is too erratic and the traffic too chaotic to be reliable. I can also arrange for you to be dropped off at certain locations by the St John Ambulances when they leave their HQ on Glencrutchery Road to go to Ballacraine and May Hill and the Bungalow during practices.

If there are a few Paramedics or Doctors travelling together and staying in the same accommodation or near to each other then usually they all meet up at Heysham or Liverpool and travel over in one car. I can then arrange for them to be situated at adjacent close points on the TT course so that the one vehicle can drop off people at different points and then collect them at the end of the practice session or race day.

Car hire on the Island is limited during the TT period and motorcycle hire is, not surprisingly, unavailable !!

5. Is there any accommodation available?

Most of the Hotel/B & B accommodation for TT fortnight is booked already. Accommodation for the MGP is usually more readily available.

Information is available from the Tourism Division of the Department of Economic Development at www.visitisleofman.com Click on Accommadation on the left of the home page and complete the enquiry details and your dates which also includes the Home Stay availability.

You can also request a 2011 Holiday Guide which includes all the tourist type details about the Isle of Man, especially useful if you want to pack your partner and the kids off elsewhere on the island while you act as a medic out on the TT Course!!
If you are really really stuck contact Dr. David Stevens dbs@mms.org.im and he will see if he can help...BUT only after you have tried all avenues as I do not operate an accommodation agency but may be able to help in extreme cases of need.

For the first time at TT 2012 there will be camping for small tents between the trees, round the corner from The Hoggery. This medics camping 'village' has previously only been available for the MGP. Campers would be able to use the faciliities in The Hoggery which has heating, toilets, kitchen, shower, 60" plasma, DVD etc. There would also be limited camp bed accommodation in the Hoggery itself and priority for this would be given to medics coming on their own and those coming for the longest period, especially if practice week is included.

Let DBS know IF you are interested

Nobles Hospital has no spare accommodation!

6. What is the format of practices and races for TT Course events?

2012 International TT Races

For further info about the TT go to: www.iomtt.com.

PLEASE NOTE. The first TT Saturday practice, after being dropped for 2011, is now back for 2012

The first of 6 practice sessions will be Saturday evening 26th May 2012.

Roads close for evening practice sessions on the Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 1800hrs and re-open no later than 2130hrs.
There is NO practice session on the Thursday afternoon and there are NO early morning practice sessions.

The roads reopen when the car bearing the "ROADS OPEN" plates passes.

Programme of races:- Courtesy of Alistair Macintosh

TT Saturday Races - 2nd June 2012
Superbike TT race [6 laps]
Sidecar TT Race 1 [3 laps]
Supersport /Lightweight qualifying

TT Monday Races - 4th June 2012
Supersport TT Race 1 [4 laps]
Sidecar qualifying
Superstock TT Race [4 laps]

TT Wednesday Races - 6th June 2012
TT Zero race [1 lap]
Supersport TT Race 2 [4 laps]
Sidecar TT Race 2 [3 laps]
Senior qualifying

TT Friday Races - 8th June 2012
NEW Supertwins TT race [3 laps]
The Blue Riband Senior TT Race(6 laps) .

2012 Manx Grand Prix Motorcycle Races

For further info about the MGP, visit www.iommgp.com.

The first evening practice will be held on Saturday 18th August and also the following Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Friday and Saturday evenings with roads closed 1800 to 2030hrs.

In 2011 the Newcomers race was held on the middle Saturday. A decision on 2012 is awaited

On the first Saturday practice, the roads will close at 1700 to facilitate the newcomers escorted lap.
There are NO early morning practices nor Thursday afternoon sessions any more.
There are no sidecar races in the MGP.

The provisional race programme still to be confirmed is as follows :- Bike Photo

MGP Saturday Races [TBC ] -
25th August 2012.
Newcomers race in 2 capacity classes run concurrently (3 laps)
Followed by practice session

MGP Bank Holiday Monday Races [TBC ] -
27th August 2012
The 250cc/350cc Classic Grand Prix Race in 2 capacity classes run concurrently[4 laps ]
The Junior Manx Grand Prix [ 4 laps ]
Followed by practice session

MGP Wednesday Races [ TBC ]-
29th August 2012
The 500cc Classic Grand Prix/Formula Classic Race in 2 capacity classes run concurrently[4 laps ]
The Supertwin/Lightweight Manx Grand Prix Race in 2 capacity classes run concurrently[4 laps ]
Followed by practice session

MGP Friday Races [ TBC ] -
31st August 2012
The Senior Manx Grand Prix Race [4 laps ]
The Classic Superbike/Junior Post Classic Race in 2 capacity classes run concurrently[4 laps ]
VMCC Rally parade lap.

7. Do I get paid for acting as a doctor or paramedic?

Yes...... a contribution is paid towards your "expenses" for the TT and MGP festival periods.

The overall budget at the TT and the MGP are fixed and therefore the final "expenses" distributed will depend on how many doctors and paramedics officiate at the events.

The TT contribution towards expenses since 2008, has been provided by ACU Events Ltd, the TT organisers.
For a practice session in 2011 this was £65 ( £40 in '10, £50 in '09, £65 in '08, £50 in '07, £44 in '06, £40 in '05, £35 in' 04, £35 in '03, £35 in '02, £30 in '00, £25 in '99, £25 in '98, £15 in '97)

For a race day in 2011 the expenses payment was £130 per race day ( £90 in '10, £110 in '09, £170 in '08, £90 in '07, £88 in '06, £80 in '05, £60 in '04, £50 in '03, £70 in '02, £60 in '00, £60 in '99, £50 in '98, £50 in '97].

So in 2011 if you had covered all the practices and all the race days at the TT, you received £910 as expenses. [£645 in 2010, £740 in 2009, £1,005 in 2008, £610 in 2007, £616 in 2006 ]

For the MGP the expences are provided by the Manx Motor Cycle Club Ltd. In 2010 they were £60 per practice session ( £65 in '09, £60 in '08, £55 in '08, £28 in '06, £30 in '05, £40 in '04, £45 in '03, £40 in '02, £30 in '00, £20 in '99, £35 in '98) and £150 per race day, actually £74 per race as there were 6 races over 4 days, (£170 in '09, £160 in '08, £120 in '07, £76 in '06, £100 in '05, £100 in '04, £100 in '03, £90 in'02, £70 in '00, £70 in '99, £70 in '98).

The more Doctors and Paramedics attending each of the events, the less everyone receives and vice-versa.

So in 2010 if you had covered all practices and all the race days at the MGP, you received £870 as expenses. [ £900 in 2009, £840 in 2008, £690 in 2007, £424 in 2006 ]

I cannot offer any individual financial help towards travelling [ EXCEPT for the MGP] or accommodation costs and "yes" I do know that it is a long way from Australia! I realise the expenses do not fully cover your travel, accommodation etc. and for some even the cost of your beer money isn't covered but "every little helps".

Don't forget that being on the Isle of Man, "The Road Racing Capital of the World" more than makes up for the low level of remuneration or so I am told!!

8. What am I expected to do on the TT Course in the event of an incident?

When an incident occurs the marshal who has been allocated to look after TETRA radio or course phone will immediately contact race control at the TT Grandstand either on the dedicated emergency number or, very much more likely these days, by pressing the TETRA radio emergency button which shows in control the exact location of the incident.

The nearest travelling marshal will then be sent to the scene of the incident and one of the two helicopters will be mobilised. The rest of the team of marshals at each location will have been allocated incident management tasks, depending on the number of people available:- using the fire extinguisher, removing the bike, clearing debris from the road and of course the Doctor or Paramedic will look after the casualty with additional help from marshals as and when they are available.
The flagmen, situated at over 200 locations, indicate immediately to on-coming competitors, with a waved yellow flag, that there has been an incident.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

Instructions on the immediate care of a casualty are given in the TT Course Incident Management GREEN Book. The 2012 edition will be sent to you prior to the event, but if you would like a 2011 copy in advance to peruse, then please phone 01624 628999 or e-mail dbs@mms.org.im. We will also send you a copy of the TT Marshals Instructional DVD which gives an overview on dealing with a TT course incident.

The GREEN Book also tells you the "do's and don'ts" for doctors and paramedics and will be able to answer most of the questions you have regarding the immediate care of a casualty on the TT course, including details of the equipment available.

9. Do I need to bring any equipment with me?

Amongst the equipment at each location to which you are allocated around the TT course there is a single orange Immediate Care case.

Full details of the contents are given on this website and in the incident management Green Book, which you will be sent prior to the event. If you would prefer to bring your own kit then that is not a problem, but it does increase the amount of luggage you have to bring across to the Island.

New for 2010 in the cases was a 36" SAM Splint. For more details see http://sammedical.com/sam_splint.html

In line with MSA blue book rules there are no drugs of any description in the case.

HOWEVER new from 2009, Motorsport Medical Services can now supply each doctor and paramedic personally, with a small zipped pouch containg 2 vials of morphine 10mgs, 2 vials of metoclopramide 10mgs and one vial of Naloxone 400micrgms. This is done on a named person basis with supplies signed out and being counted back meticulously!

Bear in mind, the response time for the helicopter is only about 5 minutes and it is equipped with just about all the pre-hospital immediate care drugs known to man! (Sorry... and woman), including those for RSI.

You will need to bring your own clothing and waterproof gear. You will also be required when out on the course to wear a yellow 'DOCTOR' or 'PARAMEDIC' tabard, which will be supplied to you. Because it is yellow, you must NOT stand in a spot where a competitor could mistake you for a flag signal.
Common sense is required!!

10. Are there other motorsport events on the Island at which I could act as a doctor or paramedic?

2012 Motorcycle Road Racing on the Billown Course

Organised by Southern 100 Motorcycle Racing Ltd,
Ellerslie, Malew Street, Castletown, Isle of Man.

To be a doctor or paramedic please contact the Chief Medical Officer, Dr David B. Stevens MBE by email or post:
dbs@mms.org.im or call 01624 628999

There will be a contribution paid towards your expenses.

Blackford Financial Services Pre-TT Classic Road Races - Practices on Friday evening 25th May and Saturday afternoon 26th May with racing on Monday morning and afternoon 28th May which is a bank holiday

Manx Telecom Post TT Races - Saturday 9th June 2012

Southern 100 Races - Monday to Thursday, 9th - 12th July 2012
Practising and some racing is on Mon to Wed evenings with racing ALL day on Thursday and a fantastic
evening presentation in Castletown Square with a fireworks display finale.

2012 Car Rally Events

Paramedics for MSA [Motor Sports Association] events will need to be registered as paramedics with the MSA.

Manx Telecom National Rally
Friday evening and Saturday, 4th and 5th May 2012.
To act as a doctor or paramedic contact David Stevens 01624 628999 or email mail@mms.org.im

Rally Isle of Man - www.mir.co.im

Rally Isle of Man 2011, due to be held Friday and Saturday 28th and 29th October 2011, was cancelled on 22nd September 2011. For a statement as to the reasons, see www.rallyisleofman.co.im/news/rally-isle-of-man-cancelled.html

It is unlikely there will be a Rally Isle of Man 2012 and it is hoped the event will return in 2013

2012 Manx Motor Racing Club's 3 Hills Challenge

Thursday 26th April Governor’s Sprint, from the TT Grandstand, Douglas

Friday 27th April The Sloc Hillclimb, north of Port Erin

Saturday 28th April Lhergy Frissell Hillclimb, out of Ramsey on the TT Course.

Contact David Stevens 01624 628999 or email mail@mms.org.im

11. What happens now

If, after reading this lot, you still have any queries, then by all means give DBS a call.

DBS mobile is 07624 493 403 or office line 01624 628999 which is also a Fax line and answerphone.

If you want to participate as a doctor or paramedic at the TT and/or MGP in "The Road Racing Capital of the World", then download the TT or MGP application form below and post it to Motorsport Medical Services or email it to mail@mms.org.im and a full information pack will be sent to you.

Providing you comply with the requirements laid down above, then your offer to be a medic at the TT Races and/or Manx Grand Prix is accepted when the form is received.

If you want to come over then you will, in due course, be sent, well before the TT or MGP, an availability form so you can indicate which practice sessions and race days you will be able to cover. Obviously your availability will be dictated by your travelling dates which should be arranged BEFORE you fill in the form. (see Question 3).

I realise that with holiday and duty rotas etc. you might not be able to complete the form for some time but please return it before the end of April 2012.

An availability form for Manx Grand Prix practice sessions and race days will be sent to you in June 2012.

REMEMBER: Please make your travelling and accommodation arrangements for TT Course events as soon as you can especially if travelling over for the TT (see Question 3).

Dr David B. Stevens, MBE
Medical Director, Isle of Man Motorsport Medical Services

2012 TT and MGP Registration Forms

Click here to download the form in Adobe PDF format which you can print out and return by post (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Click here to download the form in Microsoft Word format which you can fill out on your computer and return by e-mail (Right-click on the link, select "Save As", and choose somewhere on your computer to save it.

2012 Isle of Man Motorsport Events:
Click here for information on being a Doctor or Paramedic

Click here to be a TT or Manx Grand Prix Marshal

Information for Doctors and Paramedics

Statement on TT Medical Services from:-
* Dr. Gareth Davies
* Dr. Gruff Evans
* Dr. Heike Romer
* Dr. David B. Stevens MBE

Introduction