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.
Even if you have been a Medical Officer or Paramedic before you might find the information for 2008 of interest!!
In order to act as a Medical Officer (MO) on the Isle of Man TT Course one needs to have FULL [ not 'limited' ] registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) as a Medical Practitioner and 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.
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
Not surprisingly it helps if you have experience of pre-hospital immediate care especially basic first aid and resuscitation etc.
Current "Duty of Care" considerations would require you are 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 an 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 P at TT Course events.
It is recommended that you read the BMA's Guidelines entitled "Doctor's Assistance to Sports Clubs and Sporting Events". Available by post from MOTORSPORT MEDICAL SERVICES at Nobles Hospital or the BMA Science Secretariat on 020 7383 6132 or www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/sportingevents
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 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, a flags training video 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 http://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?
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.
Aer Arann fly to and from Dublin. Details on 0800 5872324 or www.aerann.com
Flybe fly to and from Birmingham, London Gatwick and Luton, Liverpool, Manchester, Newquay and Southampton - Details on 0871 700 0123 or www.flybe.com.
Eastern Airways fly to and from Aberdeen [via Newcastle] and Birmingham - Details on 01652 680 600 or www.easternairways.com
Loganair fly to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh - Details on 8708 509 850 or www.loganair.co.uk
Manx2 fly to and from Belfast International and City, Blackpool, Gloucester, Leeds Bradford, East Midlands and Jersey - details on 08702422226. www.manx2.com
VLM fly to and from London City details on +44(0) 8716665050 www.flyvlm.com
I have no 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!!
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 14,000 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
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 means that you will be rather isolated once you arrive on the Island.
With a road racing course of nearly 40 miles you would be unable to travel 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.
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?
Many of the Hotel/B & B accommodation for TT fortnight is booked already. Accommodation for the MGP is usually more readily available.
Enquiries should be made to the Department of Tourism and Leisure who will send you a full accommodation guide.
Tel - 01624 686766. The guide also 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 want to try the Department of Tourism's own "Home Stay" scheme then contact them on 01624 686802. This provides accommodation in the homes of Isle of Man families. It's cheap and usually near a pub!!
Details also on www.visitisleofman.com/homestay.
Nobles Hospital has no spare accommodation!
6. What is the format of practices and races for TT Course events?
2008 International TT Races - For further info about the TT, visit www.iomtt.com.
The first of 6 practice sessions will be Saturday evening 24th May 2008.
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 any more.
The roads reopen when the car bearing the "ROADS OPEN" plates passes.
TT Saturday Races - 31st May
TT Superbike race [6laps]
TT Sidecar Race 'A' [3 laps]
TT Monday Races - 2nd June
TT Superstock Race (4 laps).
TT Supersport Race [4 laps]
TT Wednesday Races - 4th June
TT Supersport Race (4 laps).
TT Sidecar Race 'B' (3 laps)
TT Friday Races -6th June
Senior TT Race(6 laps)
TT Parade ???
2008 Manx Grand Prix Motorcycle Races - For further info about the MGP, visit www.iommgp.com.
For 2008, Dr Heike Romer will be Chief Medical Officer for the Manx Grand Prix races with Dr Karen Wilson as Deputy CMO. Dr David Stevens will remain as the Medical Director organising the medical services prior to the event.
The first evening practice is held on Saturday 16th August and also the following Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Friday and Saturday evenings with roads closed1800 to 2030hrs. There are NO early morning practice nor Thursday afternoon sessions any more.
There are no sidecar races in the MGP. The race programme is as follows :-
MGP Bank Holiday Monday Races - 25th Aug.
Newcomers race (4 laps) & Classic Senior (4 laps).
MGP Wednesday Races -27th Aug.
Classic Jun/Ltwt race (4 laps) & Junior race (4 laps).
MGP Friday Races - 29th Aug.
Lightweight/ultralightweight race (4 laps) & Senior race (4 laps).
7. Do I get paid for acting as an MO or P?
Some "expenses" yes.
The overall budget from the Department of Tourism & Leisure for Medical services at the TT is fixed and therefore the final "expenses" paid will depend on how many doctors and paramedics officiate at the event.
In April each year, when I receive the budget from the Department of Tourism and Leisure, it goes into a high interest bank account. As I do not issue payment cheques to MO's & P's until mid December (be warned!!) the interest generated is used to purchase the various freebies that are made available.
The TT remuneration for a practice session in 2007 was £50 (£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) and £90 per race day (£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 2007 if you had covered all practices and the race days at the TT, you received £610 as expenses.
For the MGP the expences are paid by the Manx Motor Cycle Club Ltd. In 2007 they were £55 per practice session (£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 £120 per race day (£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 that attend each of the events, the less everyone receives and vice-versa.
So in 2007 if you had covered all practices and the race days at the MGP, you received £690 as expenses.
I cannot offer any individual financial help towards travelling 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 2007 TT Course Incident Management GREEN Book. The 2008 edition will be sent to you prior to the event, but if you would like a 2007 copy in advance to peruse then please phone 07624 493403 or e-mail dbs@mms.org.im.
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.
In line with MSA blue book rules there are no drugs of any description in the case and if you feel that you wish to have drugs available then you will have to make provision with your own local pharmacy to bring them with you. Nobles Hospital cannot provide drugs (medical or otherwise!!) for visiting Doctors/Paramedics.
Bear in mind that 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).
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 an MO or P?
2008 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 contact Dr David B. Stevens MBE, the Chief Medical Officer. If you are coming over for the TT races you will be sent an availability form anyway for the Southern 100 course events held during TT fortnight. There will be a contribution paid towards your expenses.
Pre-TT Classic Racing - Practices on Friday 23rd May and Saturday afternoon 24th May with racing all day on the Bank Holiday Monday 26th May but finishing well before the TT practice is due to start.
Isle of Man Steam Packet National Road Races - Saturday 7th June 2008
Southern 100 Races - Monday to Thursday, 7th - 10th July 2008
Practising and some racing is Mon to Wed evenings with racing ALL day on Thursday and a fantastic
evening presentation in Catletown Square with a firworks display finale.
2008 Car Rally Events
Paramedics for MSA [Motor Sports Association] events will need to be registered as paramedics with the MSA.
Royal Bank of Scotland International Manx National Rally
Friday evening and Saturday, 9th and 10th May 2008.
To act as a doctor or paramedic contact John Skinner - 01624 626543.
Rally Isle of Man which used to be the Manx International Rally - www.mir.co.im
This event moved a few years ago from September to August and is now held in July- Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 17th, 18th and 19th July 2008.
To act as a doctor or paramedic contact Richard Bargery, the event administrator, on 01624 852440.
2008 Manx Motor Racing Club's 3 Hills Challenge
Thursday 17th April to Saturday 19th April 2007 - Old and modern car hill climbs up Bray Hill, the Sloc and Lhergy Frissell
Contact DBS if you need more information.
11. What happens now
If, after reading this lot, you still have any queries, then by all means give me a call on my Mobile number 07624 493 403
If you want to participate as a doctor or paramedic at the TT or MGP races in "The Road Racing Capital of the World", then download the application form below and return it to me or contact me and I will send you one with a full information pack.
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 I receive the form.
If you want to come over then I will, in due course, send you, 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 2008.
An availability form for Manx Grand Prix practice sessions and race days will be sent to you in June 2008.
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).
Click here to download the TT Course 2008 Registration Form in Adobe PDF format which you can print this out and return it by post.
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
Click here to download the TT Course 2008 Registration 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.
Dr David B. Stevens, MBE
Chief Medical Officer for the TT and S100,
Medical Director, Isle of Man Motorsport Medical Services
1. Can any Doctor or Paramedic help on the TT Course?