The GAA has announced details of a new medical initiative which will significantly improve and standardise the emergency medical equipment available in all major county grounds to help further raise player welfare standards.

The initiative will see each of the 32 counties acquire a bespoke GAA trauma bag packed with a full range of emergency medical equipment that has been specifically designed for the requirements of the GAA. Included in each trauma bag is specialised resuscitation and medical equipment meaning medical staff will be able to deal with a full range of incidents. Counties will also acquire specialist immobilisation equipment and drugs kits as part of the overall package. The initiative is part of a longer term project by the GAA's Medical Scientific and Welfare Committee to improve the medical equipment and facilities available at county grounds.

Uachtarán CLG Liam O' Neill welcomed the new initiative saying "When our Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee first came to Central Council with this suggestion, there was unanimous agreement that it was something the GAA should engage with immediately. A lot of work has been done over the years to improve the general standard of facilities at our county grounds, and the overall improvement of our medical facilities, to the benefit of players and supporters alike, is just one aspect of this."

The Uachtarán went on to explain that there had been a number of high profile instances on the field of play in other sports in recent times that had further underlined the necessity for the GAA to be prepared in this regard. He said the welfare of GAA players generally was a key priority for the GAA and said that the rolling out of the medical equipment initiative was a tangible expression of that priority.

An advanced pitchside emergency traumatology course for medics involved with GAA County teams, which was organised by the Gaelic Games Doctor's Association and Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine, was delivered under the stewardship of Mr. Paul O Grady, at the GAA Annual Medical Conference, in Croke Park last November. The trauma bag and medical kits have been developed in partnership with medical supplier, Vivomed (www.vivomed.com). Vivomed is a family owned specialist sports medicine and physiotherapy supply company based in Downpatrick. Vivomed has worked closely with members of the Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee to agree the contents and design the bag specifically for the needs of the GAA. Tweet

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