Key medical personnel from across the NI Football League clubs participated in the inaugural UEFA Football Doctor Education Programme (FDEP) in Belfast this week.

UEFA’s programme has a mission to educate and advise doctors and experts about football medical matters – helping to raise standards in this crucial sector of the game.

Delegates from all the Sports Direct Premiership clubs were invited to spend two days at the National Football Stadium, discussing and practising the management of medical emergencies and on-field trauma, including cardiac arrest and spinal injury.

The training was delivered by local expert tutors including emergency & anaesthetic consultants and paramedic education leads. Participants underwent written and practical examination at the end of the course to evaluate competence in the skills and knowledge they were taught.

Course lead Dr David White (Lead Medical Officer, Irish FA) explained: “It has been a very rewarding process cascading UEFA’s course for the first time to our Irish League doctors and physiotherapists.

“The level of commitment shown by NIFL club medical staff is extremely high, I’m delighted we can now help support them in delivering high quality emergency care by running these courses on a regular basis.

They occasionally need to work together when faced with on-field medical trauma, and this course ensures everyone is on the same page when such incidences arise. We shall be running future courses to refresh this learning, and train new candidates.”

NIFL Chief Executive, Gerard Lawlor said, “This is a crucial area of our game and as the league continues to move forward, we must ensure that our medical provision for clubs is of the highest standards.

“We’re delighted to be able to help fund and support the implementation of this important UEFA Programme in Northern Ireland for the first time as we endeavour to best support and educate our clubs and their staff in this challenging matchday role.”

The UEFA’s Football Doctor Education Programme (FDEP) programme links face-to-face workshops on emergency medicine, injury diagnosis/treatment and protecting the player - where doctors learn and practise techniques with an online e-learning support platform containing instructional videos and guidelines for doctors to refer to at any time.

Supported by the NI Football League and the Irish FA, this course will raise standards in this crucial area of the game in Northern Ireland with immediate effect.