Medical Guidelines 

First Aid Kit 

Please ensure that your First Aid Kit is replenished whenever items are used, and is checked on a regular basis. First Aid Kit contents should include: simple dressings, bandages, adhesive type (+/- scissors) two triangular bandages, space blanket (if possible), non sterile gloves. 

 It is preferable for the “home side” to have ice or ice packs available although individual club members may want to keep “cool packs” with them. 

Game Preparation & Guidelines in the event of an injury 

• Before training or a game, telephone access (mobile) and emergency vehicle access must be affirmed. 
• Play should be stopped as soon as an injury is recognised. 
• Player should be assessed by either the coach.  An “on field” melee of spectators should be discouraged. 
• Talking to the player will immediately determine responsiveness and the degree of discomfort/pain. 
  Any LOC (loss of consciousness) / unresponsiveness requires 999 call for ambulance and Basic First Aid to ensure airway patency and breathing.  If injury is suspected to be severe player must not be moved. 
• Excessive pain, limb or joint deformity, asymmetry, excessive swelling requires ambulance referral to hospital.  Transfer to hospital by car should only be considered in minor finger and forearm injuries. 
• No injury resulting in bleeding can remain in play. 

Bleeding wounds and grazes should be washed when bleeding with water (or saline if available).  Alcohol wipes should not be used.  (First aid advice should be sought in case wound merits suturing).  Wounds should then have a simple dressing applied.  Regulations regarding return of “blood injuries” to the field of play exist and should be applied in junior and senior sides. 

Common sense must prevail in assessing an injured player.  “Excessive pain” alone is sufficient to merit referral to a doctor or A&E. 

If in doubt, call for help. 

• Excessive reliance on a “water splash” should be discouraged.  Players’ kit (especially children) should not be soaked.  Hypothermia is a problem in the injured rugby player. 

An injured player will cool rapidly and shivering only serves to increase pain. Space blankets, ordinary blankets and spectators’ clothes should be used to keep the player warm. 

The player’s own kit (tracksuit etc) is usually inadequate and impossible to put back on the injured player. 

Simple beanies or any hat will slow down the rate at which an injured player will cool. 

• The injured player’s possessions should be secured and in the case of injury in junior players, contact should be made with parents/guardian. 

Any Injury requiring hospital attendance must be reported by completion of an Injury/Accident form to be passed to the Haverhill RFU Administrator, who will complete the relevant RFU serious injury return for all injuries leading to an absence of 3 weeks or more