With unsubstantiated rumours circulating regarding medical cover provisions for the TT and other road racing events scheduled to be held on the island, I asked some questions of Dr Alex Allinson, the Minister for Enterprise. His department has the political responsibility for the funding and management of the TT and the other events. Dr Allinson has made it clear since his appointment that he is committed to ensuring that the events run this year; aware that another non-start could be the catalyst for the ending of our wonderful events.
I am grateful to TT Press Officer Simon Crellin for directing the questions to the relevant persons for answer. For those off island Manx Care is the body that manages medical provision on the island. Their management team is very impressive, and the island is fortunate to have Teresa Cope as the organization’s Chief Executive.
Question 1:
I have been advised that there is no guarantee that hospitals in the UK will take into their care people who have the misfortune to be injured during any of motorcycle racing events. I have seen multiple casualty accidents both on and away from the track; can the facilities on the island cope with what would be the average number of such inured persons during the TT and MGP in particular?
Manx Care guarantee the appropriate level of treatment and care to anyone that requires it, irrelevant of how the injuries occurred. The Major Trauma Network are mandated to take patients who are deemed as major trauma cases via the Injury Severity Score assessment system. This is a commitment of the Major Trauma System across NHS England.
Manx Care is part of the North West Major Trauma Network which operates 24/7 365. Major trauma patients are transferred on the basis of clinical need. No distinction is made on how the injuries were received or in what context, including Nationality of the patient. There are standard procedures in place to address a situation where a Major Trauma Centre needs close and go on divert to another Major Trauma Centre.
Manx Care has a planning group that produces an operational plan each year to deal with the influx of visitors to ensure all patients get the right treatment during the TT and MGP.
Question 2 (a):
Can you confirm or deny that there will be no emergency helicopter on duty for the Southern 100 Races?
The Southern 100 and the Isle of Man TT Races /Manx Grand Prix have different medical infrastructure and operational plans based on numerous factors including; the size of the circuit, location of medical assets, the way that incidents requiring medical help are handled and blue light travel times to Noble’s Hospital.
In recent years a response car with a medical team has been introduced to operate alongside the helicopter based at the Southern 100. The Manx Road Racing Medical Services (MRMS) team carried out a comprehensive review of all aspects of medical cover at the Billown Circuit and identified, with the Southern 100 committee, that there are no advantages to patients being flown to Noble’s and that patients are best serviced by land assets. It is for this reason a helicopter will not be operational.
Question 2 (b) Am I correct to assume that the TT Armed helicopters will cover the Pre-TT Classic and Post TT races on the Billown Circuit?
An operational decision has been made to withdraw the helicopter from the Southern 100, and in that regard there is no difference between the Pre-TT Classic, the Post-TT Races and the Southern 100 so there will not be a helicopter in attendance for any of those events.
Historically for racing on the Billown Course, MRMS have always provided 5 land ambulances well as 2 Fast intervention vehicles which will continue to be in place.
For the Pre-TT Classic and Post-TT races, the MRMS intend to provide an additional 3rd Fast Intervention Vehicle located at Ballabeg as the vehicles will be available for TT anyway. The MRMS intend to re-assess after the end of TT and determine whether it is necessary to do the same for Southern 100.
Question 3:
At what level of Covid infections; and what number of patients hospitalized with it; would a rethink on holding the TT be instigated.
The Minister for the Department for Enterprise gave a public commitment earlier in the year that road racing will return to the island this year after a two-year break. The number of recorded cases of COVID-19 is not relevant to any operational race decisions, but during the race schedule there are, as in previous years, daily assessments of the medical provision both around the course and capacity at Nobles prior to any racing taking place to ensure the safety for riders and spectators.
In the Economic Policy Review Committee of Monday 14th February 2022 the Chief Minister Alfred Cannan stated that “there would have to be a number of factors attached to a variant of concern in terms of its impact on public health. So if a new variant of concern had increased the threat to the public in terms of the impact that that variant was having on public health, then we would give proper consideration as to what appropriate response was necessary.
He continued:
“I think we have made it clear that there are a number of important factors that we will need to consider on an ongoing basis with regard to COVID. We firmly believe that the evidence is that COVID’s worst impacts are over, that the protection being offered now from the vaccines is significant and that COVID itself appears to be adopting much milder forms. As it stands, we are confident the TT will go ahead but I have always been clear that any new variants of concern would need us to look at a whole raft of information around that.”
Manx Care have advised that they currently have one COVID Ward and are at what they describe as ‘Level 2’ of the COVID Escalation Plan. They believe that should a second ward be required, it would mean around 35% of the adult bed capacity was unavailable and that situation may compromise Manx Care’s ability to cope with the additional TT requirement from visitors and competitors.
From the answers it is clear that it will require a new strain that is as transmissible and more severe that the omicron variant to cause any concern for the management of the TT.
The road works necessary for the TT to go ahead are progressing well; it is something a relief to know that the Kerrowmoar section is to be attended to. One section that will be different for the riders is Glen Tramman; where the removal of the roadside hedges has greatly improved visibility. 61 days and counting until the Pre-TT Classic wakes us from our enforced slumber.
