Purple Guide, SAG and licensing: medical planning for Surrey events

By Medirek's event safety and medical planning team. Last reviewed 10 November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice; always check your own council's requirements.

What is the Purple Guide?

The Purple Guide is the events industry's guide to health, safety and welfare at outdoor events, published by the Events Industry Forum. Councils, SAGs and licensing teams use it as a benchmark. Its medical chapter is risk-led: rather than giving a fixed number of first aiders per head, it expects the organiser to assess the event's medical needs and then plan provision to match.

What is a medical needs assessment?

A medical needs assessment looks at the things that drive medical risk at your event, including:

• the type of event and activities, and the audience profile;
• expected and peak numbers, and how long the event runs;
• the site, the weather and how easily vehicles can get in and out;
• alcohol and drug use, and what happened at previous editions;
• the distance to the nearest emergency department.

The assessment then sets the medical plan: the skill mix (first responders, emergency care assistants, paramedics, nurses or doctors), treatment points, vehicles, communications, and how patients are handed over to the NHS. Medirek produces a bespoke risk and medical needs assessment for every event and checks it against the Purple Guide, so you never pay for more cover than you need and never have less than is safe. See event safety and medical planning.

What is a Safety Advisory Group?

A Safety Advisory Group is a forum where the local authority and the emergency services look at event plans and give advice on making them safe. SAGs are advisory, but organisers who ignore their advice can find licences, land permissions or road closures harder to get. In Surrey, SAGs are run by the borough and district councils, so the process and deadlines vary.

As an example, Mole Valley District Council asks organisers to submit an Event Notification Form at least three months before the event, may invite them to a SAG meeting, and expects an event plan that covers medical provision. Its guidance says South East Coast Ambulance Service should be consulted on the level of medical provision. Medirek works alongside Surrey Police and local SAGs, and can engage with them on your behalf.

Your local council by town: see the planning notes and FAQs on each Surrey town page.

What if my event closes roads?

Surrey County Council publishes a recommended timeline for sporting events on closed roads. It starts 12 months or more before the event, with an application including a traffic management plan at about 12 months, SAG meetings at around nine and six months, SAG sign-off at about three months, and road closure orders published two weeks before. Running and cycling organisers should build the medical plan in from the start; see running event medical cover.

How does medical cover relate to licensing?

If your event sells alcohol or provides regulated entertainment, it falls under the Licensing Act 2003. Licensing decisions are made against four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. A good medical and welfare plan is direct evidence for public safety. For licensed venues, regular on-site medics can also cut ambulance and police calls for medical and welfare incidents, which Medirek notes can have a beneficial effect with licensing authorities. See venue medical cover.

What about Martyn's Law?

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, is expected to come into force in spring 2027, according to the Security Industry Authority, which will regulate it. Events open to the public, with entry checks and 800 or more people expected at the same time, are likely to be in scope and will need documented public protection procedures and measures. Medirek notes that the law's principles are already shaping how Safety Advisory Groups assess event applications, so expect questions about evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication in your plan.

A planning timeline for Surrey events

1. 12+ months: for road events, check the date with Surrey County Council and start consultation.
2. 6 to 3 months: submit your council's event notification (at least three months ahead in Mole Valley, for example), book your medical provider, and get a medical needs assessment.
3. Before the SAG meeting: circulate a draft event plan including the medical plan.
4. Final weeks: brief stewards on the medical point location and radio channels, and confirm hospital routes.
5. On the day: event control and logging, so decisions are recorded.
6. After: debrief, and use patient report data to improve next year's plan.

Medirek says it returns a bespoke proposal and risk assessment overview within 24 hours of receiving your event details.

Questions about the Purple Guide, SAGs and licensing

Which Medirek services help with planning?

• Event Safety & Medical PlanningBespoke medical needs assessments, event risk assessments and safety plans for Surrey events and Safety Advisory Groups.
• Event Paramedics & Ambulance CoverEvent paramedics and ambulance cover in Surrey: HCPC-registered paramedics, ambulances as on-site treatment points and response cars, from Medirek.
• Event First AidEvent first aid in Surrey: uniformed FREC-qualified first aiders with AEDs for fêtes, markets, fun runs and community events, scaled to your risk.
• Marathon & Running Event Medical CoverMedical cover for marathons, 10Ks, trail runs and fun runs in Surrey: course response cars, start/finish treatment points and 4×4 trail access.