Court Judgement. Australian criminal prosecution. Death on expedition. Diabetes management. Pre screening. Pre training. Monitoring. Ops room communications. Telemed.Risk Assessment. Risk mitigation.
A tragic case. If you are involved in expeditions, fieldwork or remote medical cover, you need to read it. It’s an Australian case involving a school expedition and a commercial expedition company.
As ever, the intention of sharing such information is to learn lessons & share the lessons. We won’t be commenting on what did or didn’t happen. It’s all in the Judgement.
We were aware of the incident when it happened but this is definitely worth sharing further.
Article:
Judgement:
Team members have been involved in developing and setting standards for our sectors for over 20 years, including:
Drafting committee members for BS:8848 - the safety standard for expeditions, fieldwork and adventure travel. This includes what should be in place including medical pre screening, training, medical advice to field teams and telemedicine.
Running specialist risk management training.
Lectures.
Conferences.
One of our regular discussion points in suitable medical training - including for expedition leaders. We’ve vocalised our strong view as to the suitability (or not) of 2 day outdoor first aid courses, in particular, for overseas expeditions.
Another strong discussion point has been ‘top cover’. Our Director was involved in introducing the first widely used telemedicine service to the exped sector many years ago. We address top cover on every course - which has driven lots of companies to look at and implement doctor led top cover for their expeditions. Similarly, every course we run is intended to support operations that specifically sit under a Consultant led clinical governance framework of appropriate clinical directives, SOP’s, skill observations, sign offs and monitoring,
A key part of what we do is risk management training. Putting the right systems in place from the outset. Risk assessments as part of a wider risk management system, compliance with standards, insurance, legal, top cover, emergency plans, crisis considerations, desk top exercises and much much more.
Risk management and operational planning training is essential for remote area medics and expedition companies.
Our organisation (and subsequently, our research arm - The Institute for Remote Area Risk & Medicine) was incepted/arose out of representing expedition companies at inquest and court cases for many years.
Our strong feeling was that appropriate, professional, real world, remote area risk management and medical training covering the realities of expeds (including advanced first aid for non medics) needed to:
1. Exist.
2. Be available at affordable cost, delivered to an exceptional standard and work in the real world.
We were reflecting on this earlier today, on a zoom call with very long standing sector peers, heavily involved in expeditions/remote area media safety.
It is for this reason that we have delivered unique off site and remote operations risk management training to clients for almost 20 years. Volumes of expedition medics, ops managers and risk managers from expedition companies, teachers responsible for expeditions at their schools and expedition leaders.
This is the cornerstone of our mission:
"Education, Implementation and Support for Remote Area Safety and Duty of Care Practices Globally”
In the past, we have assisted organisations on related risk management issues arising from specific considerations relating to individual expeditioners.
We also address these issues on our risk management training courses.
We’ve also directed organisations to the Oxford Expedition Medical handbook - addressing considerations for diabetics on expeds (including those recently diagnosed).
BS:8848 - the British Standard for safety on overseas expeditions and fieldwork, (which team members were involved in writing) covers much of this - medical pre screening, training and risk management. Training for the team in the field - and medical advice /reach back/telemedicine.
Also highlights value of ops centre staff running through the whole set of CABCDE, SAMPLE questions and ATMIST information collected and taking nothing for granted - and Doctor led telemedicine.
Exactly why we issue check cards.
Please read, digest, review and implement any changes needed.
Those who have attended our risk management training will be very familiar with the Plan - Do - Check - Act cycle of monitoring and constant improvement.
A 2 day risk management module is included in our carefully crafted and fit for purpose 7 module, 15 day, c 380 hour R/EMO:TE Medic Programme and as part of our ‘core four’ programme for non health care professionals,
Remote/ Expedition Medical Officer: Training Essentials.
Proper prior planning.
Where Professionals Come To Train’
Qualified, current, experienced.
Prevent | Respond | Rescue | Resolve | Evacuate™️
#iso31030 #remoteareasafety #remotearearisk #expedition #adventuretravel #expeditionmedic #riskassessment #IRARAM
Plas y Brenin Wilderness Medical Society Adventure Medic College of Paramedics Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Mountain Training Student Wilderness Medicine UK Mountain Training Association UIAA - International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation
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