New First Aid course launched by Scottish Rugby for community game

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - MAY 14: Physio is called into action to help Samantha Donnelly of Queen's Park during Womens Silver Saturday at BT Murrayfield, on May 14, 2022, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

This new course has been designed by Scottish Rugby’s Welfare Manager, Dr Karen Barclay and Scottish Rugby’s wider medical team.

The SCRUMCAPS Level 1 course, which is a key milestone of Scottish Rugby’s Player Welfare Action Plan, aims to enable volunteers to transition seamlessly from First Responder to delivering First Aid care in the case of an emergency in a rugby environment.

Scottish Rugby previously delivered introductory training utilising World Rugby’s First Aid in Rugby (FAIR) material. The new SCRUMCAPS Level 1 curriculum has been mapped out to match that of FAIR but has been adapted to provide bespoke education suited to the Scottish rugby landscape.

The course boasts a streamlined 10-hour curriculum, blending online and in-person modules to provide learners with a condensed yet thorough learning experience, equipping them with potentially life-saving skills in the event of an emergency.

To ensure a well-rounded skillset, participants will be required to complete Scottish Rugby’s Concussion and First Responder modules before undertaking the SCRUMCAPS Level 1 course. This strategic approach reinforces the comprehensive nature of the training, ensuring participants are thoroughly prepared for real-life scenarios.

Scottish Rugby’s work in this space has been ongoing for many years through SCRUMCAPS Level 2 and Level 3, which are courses directed at Health Care Professionals working pitchside in Scotland with both professional as well as grassroots rugby players.

The first online module for the course is now available to access, and participants can sign-up to attend the in-person modules which will begin later this month. Click HERE to find out more.

Speaking on the launch of the course, Dr Barclay said: “World Rugby’s FAIR course has served us well and we will continue to endorse its material and recognise it as a valid qualification, but to have our own course which is bespoke to the game in Scotland is real asset to enhance player welfare standards.

“Through the Player Welfare Action Plan, we outlined our plans for clubs and schools to achieve Pitchside Care Minimum Standards in the community game. Along with the work we have already done in Concussion, First Responder and Medical Emergency Action Planning education, SCRUMCAPS Level 1 becomes the next tool for clubs and schools to meet these standards, whilst underpinning our commitment to player welfare.”

Dr David Pugh, interim Chief Medical Officer at Scottish Rugby, said: “Scottish Rugby is deeply committed to continuous improvement in the player welfare space. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of safety and proficiency, setting new benchmarks for excellence in player care, and SCRUMCAPS Level 1 is very much a part of how we can achieve this at the grassroots level.

“I’d like to share my thanks to Dr Karen Barclay for leading on this work. Karen’s medical knowledge and experiences as a sports medic within the domestic game have truly helped shape this course to ensure it is both bespoke to our community volunteers whilst equipping them with the right skills in the case of an emergency.”