In Slovenia we have DrogArt organisation (/me meber of course 😉 … it is a peer-to-peer system and party ppl placed a lot of confidence in us … as distinguished from promoters and party organisers … reason – greed for money 
… they need to put us on guest list and they think we are doing this only for getting a free entry 
Why wont st johns etc attend free parties then? surely not just because they are worried they wont be able to handle the states ppl get themselves into? Is it legal for st johns to attend a party? probabaly not knowing the state of our governing system.
Ive been to legal parties other crews have put on and they have had st johns onsite, always a bonus when the police turn up and see that things have been planned with safety in mind, infact the st johns guys where surprised at the lack of drugs although they did have a few drunken minors and projectile vomiting to deal with.
How much does it cost for your services then RAY?? I hope its not hourly rates when you consider how long some of these parties go on for. I mean i can understand you have to make a living but it is a free party at the end of the day although it never quite works that way for the organiser(s).
You could set up a scheme or somthing providing onsite medics to free partys, maybe get some government funding to bring the costs down for us….lol, only in a ideal world hey. It would make sense though, the law are pushing party people to places where there is little around in the way of medical services so a man in the know onsite could save a life or 2 in the long run!
Some good points raised regarding medical coverage at dance music events and i hope i can answer your questions, my old user name was ray @ nightclubmedics but i have lost my passord so had to reregister so i apologise if anyone has pm’ed me and i haven’t replied.
Health and safety at music/dance events is mainly covered with the purple guide produced by HSE Publication through the Health and Safety Executive which is aimed at organisors and includes medical coverage, what is require at events ect
Couple of years ago a publication was released from the government in conjuction with the department of health which covered how to make club and dance events safer, apropialty called “the safer clubbin guide” this outlined needs for specialist services at events hence why St Johns tend not to do club events, my local st johns said they are not intrested as there are vollenteers and people don’t fancy doin an alnighter.
The safer clubbin docement says:
Chapter 4 section 21.
“In some cases particularly large or all night events it may be necessary to buy in additional medical cover. It is important that these companies have a track record of dealing with drug induced problems. It should not be assumed that Red Cross or St John Ambulance possesses the requisite experience. Even highly skilled NHS Paramedics and Nurses should not be expected to work in this setting without experience of drug induced problems.”
Regarding your idea, probaly not. Even though it makes sense cos raves will go ahead whether i’m there or not but at least its shows the promotor are making provisions for safety but it may not be seen this way yet you can give needles away so kids can jack up brown ans you can give condonms to prosie’s yet you can’t hire and a highly qualified profeshional ambulance officer complete with kit and fully legal tax paying service for a dance event with inrelation have less seriousness in my opionum. seems silly to me but what the hell i’ll chalenge anything.
For any further information please feel free to contact me, i provide fully trained kitted insured medical team anywhere within the UK and mainland europe.
Whether its a couple of first aid staff you require for an alnighter or ambulance coverage for a 3 day event. We also offer Medical planning management and assistance like provided for global gathering.
Please note you must mail this link below as i don’t have access to my original user name.
Ray,
NightClub Medics
PS> FAO Subline Fm, give me a ring on the office number because i had probs with my mobile.
I now have a new mobile no: 07745 534 072.
Feel free to contact me for more info.
Ray NightClub Medics
Large amount of respect for what you do. I agree that it needs a specialist medic to be at a party.
Unfortunatly we are unable to afford medical cover at any of our parties because of the way they are run. We have never had any problems yet and pray that we never do.
Thanks to the last post, i respect and understand the problem of costs involved but i would like to add I ENJOY THE SCENE, i do charge for my services but this is at cost price. I travel through out the UK providing pre hospital care for dance events as a sideline/hobby rather than business.
We are not a large company who are trying to fleece the scene but a group of medicaly trained insured guys and girls who enjoy the music and atmosphere.
Any you have any querys give me a shout either by the above no. or on msn addy below:
cheers
Ray
Hello Ray, it is an absolute pleasure to read your post.
Health and Safety is important and I know crewes out there who do take it seriously i.e have fire wardens, extinguishers that work, clear emergency signage and exits, First Aiders and medical professionals as back up. Every effort is made to minimise the risk of accident and injury. You can never prevent every single accident/situation but you can prepare for it.
In my opinion I think there is a responsibilty on the part of the promoters to make the party as safe as possilbe for people they are encouraging to come as well as themselves.
I am a qualified First Aider but have not had additonal drug/acohol training and I agree that this is an area that should be addressed. I would interested in more information on this, you can pm me.
Also if you have a look at Access all areas web site (sorry having trouble with links today) they have a skills register, I’m sure they would welcome the availabilty of your services.
I agree also that the nature of such parties doesn’t stop people doing it but there is alot that can be done to make it safe.
Fair play to you.
Following discusions with a local promotor and in response to the previous post an idea has been raised:
“How much does it cost for your services then RAY?? I hope its not hourly rates when you consider how long some of these parties go on for. I mean i can understand you have to make a living but it is a free party at the end of the day although it never quite works that way for the organiser(s).”
Would your guests contribute to a whip round to fund the provision of medical staff to be in attendance at the event? Any surgestions would be warmly welcomed.
The cost for me to staff a local event (central england region) with appropiate equipment, training level and insurance for a 8hr dance event is around £160 (based on myself and 1 other attending the event).
My team is made up of various staff levels from first aider’s to Doctors with a number of them into the dance scene. This enables us to lower our costs,if these events are booked with at least a months notice i ask the people into rave first which the staff work at a lower rate of pay rather than picking up more cash to go and work a tedius job like county shows ect.
For example one Doctor could pick up £40-£50 per hour yet has stated he perfers to work an event for £20ph as it “can be” easier work, better environment and more interesting to work an event than do locum cover for an A&E.
The guys/girls who provide to Dance medical cover because they enjoy it! Yeah sure they appreciate the wage but if your in health care for the just the money your in the wrong job.
I personaly make more money selling first aid kits and plasters ect per week than out of all the dance events i do which includes 2 weekly contracts and contracts monthly nights.
As long as i cover all my costs incured by attending an event i’m happy its a night out with good people, good tunes and the free party atmosphere.
We are always looking to form affiliations with other agencys, providers and promotors to help provide a safer free parties.
Please feel free to contact me on 07745534072
We provide first aid, ambulance and medical support to nightclubs and dance events across the UK. Feel free to contact us info you require any further info.
Keith James
Club-Med 0783 567 4 999
Well Ray,
I’m sure that a lot of party goers are somewhat assured from what you’ve written below. You sound like a knowledgeable kind of bloke, which I’m sure will be somewhat comforting to all those space-heads (who probably wouldn’t care less who delivers treatment to them), but at least try and give the impression that you’re an intelligent, skilled (??) practitioner by getting your spelling right!!!!
From a medical officer who’s a damn sight more skilled, knowledgeable and educated than you seem to be!
A firs aid course is a three hour course, the first aid door staff are trained in is often less than this and only covers casualtys suffering from:
A: Not breathing,
B: No responce,
C: Servere bleeding,
I know the standard of training is poor because i hold the qualification to teach it,
A first aider also does not have the expierience to work in a rave/club environment, a recent report from the Department of Health and the home office states even NHS State registered Paramedics should have additional training to work in these environments.
I have over ten years expierence of pre hospital care including vollentree, NHS and Private work and i worked as a director of operations for over 3 years including the medical planning behind the mardi gras festival, global gathering and the Party in the park.
Further to this i have had to take part in extended training in drugs (instructed by DAT) and i’m qualified throught the charted institute of environment health in health and safety and risk assessment.
Hiring myself out even thought i have all the kit, training and insurance is a big risk as
A: It would be surgested that i’m condoning drug use of which i’m not, drugs will alway be taken at
raves/club but considering the brain dies after four minute of lack of oxygen and the national average of an NHS ambulance is between 8 and 14 minutes (yeah right on a fri/sat night) there should be provisions in place.
B: Due to it been an illegal gathering i could get into shit over that.
If you look the news on this site one free party was closed due to lack of health and safety provisions.
I hope that answers your query,
I’m sure that a lot of party goers are somewhat assured from what you’ve written below. You sound like a knowledgeable kind of bloke, which I’m sure will be somewhat comforting to all those space-heads (who probably wouldn’t care less who delivers treatment to them), but at least try and give the impression that you’re an intelligent, skilled (??) practitioner by getting your spelling right!!!!
From a medical officer who’s a damn sight more skilled, knowledgeable and educated than you seem to be!
to be fair, ray has put more effort into his posts than you, and has a positive contribution..why should we beleive that you have more intelligance and education etc than ray, when you offer no better advice, just slated his blatantly good ideas and knowledge. maybe not the best doctor in the country, but his heart is in the right place. the powers that be shun freeparties, and therefore an entire section of society. this needs to be addressed.
if you have any better/ more detailed/ current info, please share it with us, other wise “spellyn iz bunk”.
😉
if I was employing medics I’d ask for (and check up on) references from professional bodies, and previous employers they have worked for anyway – whether they can win a spelling bee wouldn’t really be a selection criteria.
I can spell those medical terms correctly but I fix computers, not people…
I’d be rather more concerned at the attitude of a medic who not only posts disparaging comments about other professionals without evidence, but also refers to potential patients as “space-heads who probably don’t care about who is treating them” 🙁
Compassion for those you are treating is as important as competence and qualifications.
In another context I probably would have treated that last comment as light-hearted banter – you may have meant it as such ; but you started on here by judging another medics professional standards which will of course bring yours into question – what makes you qualified to judge them? You have not come forward with a list of your own skills (which Ray did).
I’m not sure of your motivation, perhaps you also want to offer your services and are competing for business – TBH there is no need to do so!
There is plenty enough work for everyone in this field: this is a messageboard for people to discuss health issues relating to the lifestyle of ravers, not a healthcare employment agency or a forum for medical professionals to show off their learning.
However I do not know you (or Ray) and I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt – you may have had a hard shift and difficult cases and not been in a good mood when you made your original post..
I’d suggest taking on board what USE and myself have said, and if you are willing to have a constructive discussion on the operational aspects of providing emergency medical care at large music and social events then you are welcome to contribute here.
if I was employing medics I’d ask for (and check up on) references from professional bodies, and previous employers they have worked for anyway – whether they can win a spelling bee wouldn’t really be a selection criteria.
I can spell those medical terms correctly but I fix computers, not people…
I’d be rather more concerned at the attitude of a medic who not only posts disparaging comments about other professionals without evidence, and also refers to potential patients as “space-heads who probably don’t care about who is treating them”. Compassion for those you are treating is just as important as competence and qualifications.
In another context I probably would have treated that last comment as light-hearted banter – you may have meant it as such ; but you started on here by judging another medics professional standards which will of course bring yours into question – what makes you qualified to judge them? You have not come forward with a list of your own skills (which Ray did).
‘m not sure of your motivation, perhaps you also want to offer your services and are competing for business – TBH there is no need to do so!
There is plenty enough work for everyone in this field , and this is free a messageboard for people to discuss health issues relating to the lifestyle of ravers, not a healthcare employment agency or a forum for medical professionals to show off their learning.
However I do not know you (or Ray) and I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt – you may have had a hard shift and difficult cases and not been in a good mood when you made your original post..
I’d suggest taking on board what USE and myself have said, and if you are willing to have a constructive discussion on the operational aspects of providing emergency medical care at large music and social events then you are welcome to contribute here.
if I was employing medics I’d ask for (and check up on) references from professional bodies, and previous employers they have worked for anyway – whether they can win a spelling bee wouldn’t really be a selection criteria.
I can spell those medical terms correctly but I fix computers, not people…
I’d be rather more concerned at the attitude of a medic who not only posts disparaging comments about other professionals without evidence, and also refers to potential patients as “space-heads who probably don’t care about who is treating them”. Compassion for those you are treating is just as important as competence and qualifications.
In another context I probably would have treated that last comment as light-hearted banter – you may have meant it as such ; but you started on here by judging another medics professional standards which will of course bring yours into question – what makes you qualified to judge them? You have not come forward with a list of your own skills (which Ray did).
‘m not sure of your motivation, perhaps you also want to offer your services and are competing for business – TBH there is no need to do so!
There is plenty enough work for everyone in this field , and this is free a messageboard for people to discuss health issues relating to the lifestyle of ravers, not a healthcare employment agency or a forum for medical professionals to show off their learning.
However I do not know you (or Ray) and I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt – you may have had a hard shift and difficult cases and not been in a good mood when you made your original post..
I’d suggest taking on board what USE and myself have said, and if you are willing to have a constructive discussion on the operational aspects of providing emergency medical care at large music and social events then you are welcome to contribute here.
Experienced Nightclub Medic available to provide informal cover for events. Feel free to contact me at any time.
Full equipment and insurance provided, current registartion held as an Emergency Medical Technician (Defib trained).
mark@abcmedicalservices.co.uk
http://www.abcmedicalservices.co.uk
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