It is fantastic to see that the return to the table is well under way, with 9 in 10 clubs back in action according to the recent Club Audit.

The importance of being physically active has been widely reported throughout the Pandemic, however returning to play at a pre-lockdown intensity after several months of inactivity can be a big ask for our body.

We recently shared this article praising the quick thinking of two youngsters who rushed to the aid of an opposition player who was taken unwell during a local league match.

In this article we will share some links and information to assist your club with being prepared to deal with a medical emergency. There are lots of free to access tools and resources, and Table Tennis England will also be match funding a defibrillator for five clubs. Please complete the form at the end of this article to enter the draw, which will be made at random.

Introducing Health & Safety Policy

Sport England Club Matters offers a range of free to access resources for implementing health and safety procedures. This includes guidance on introducing a Health & Safety policy, as well as a template policy document.

Course: Managing health and safety (sportenglandclubmatters.com)

First Aid Training

Access to first aid should always be available at sessions and matches. First Aid courses deal with serious conditions and incidents and are ideal if you would like to be trained in CPR skills and know what to do when initially faced with an emergency.

Although there are other Training providers, we recommend the following;

First Aid at Work Training Course | St John Ambulance (sja.org.uk)

First aid courses and training | Red Cross Training (redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk)

UK Coaching have created a free to access ‘Sudden Cardiac Arrest’ digital toolkit, which includes an interactive eLearning course, in collaboration with Resuscitation Council UK, St John Ambulance and Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, and funded by Sport England. The Toolkit is free and will help you gain the knowledge and confidence to respond quickly and appropriately in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.

This can be accessed for free here.

Defibrillators

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. This high energy shock is called defibrillation, and it’s an essential part in trying to save the life of someone who’s in cardiac arrest. A defibrillator may also be referred to as a defib, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) or a PAD (Public Access Defibrillator). More information about Defibrillators can be found here on the British Heart Foundation’s website.

London Hearts is a Nationwide Charity that provides defibrillators and associated training. The fliers attached below show their current offers which are available to all table tennis clubs.

You can also see where your nearest Defibrillator is located by visiting the National Defibrillator Database.

In an emergency, the first course of action is always to call 999 for assistance.

Please direct any questions or queries relating to this article to [email protected]

PremierClubs and Associate Clubs are eligible to enter a draw for a match funded defibrillator, of which there are five available. The draw will be made at random on Friday 17th December. Entries close at 5pm on Thursday 16th December.