Purple Guide Medical Cover Calculator: How It Works
5 June 2026 · 7 min read
How the Purple Guide scoring model is used to calculate medical resources for UK events.
What the calculator does
The Purple Guide medical cover calculator scores your event across multiple categories – event type, audience profile, seated vs standing, attendance, duration, weather and proximity to definitive care – to produce a score that maps to a recommended medical resource level.
Categories scored
Key scoring inputs include:
- Nature of the event (e.g. classical concert vs dance music festival)
- Audience profile and expected behaviour
- Seated, standing or mixed
- Total attendance and density
- Duration in hours
- Time of year and expected weather
- Standing time before performance
- Distance from definitive medical care
What the score tells you
The total score maps to recommended numbers of first aiders, ambulance staff, treatment centres and ambulances. It is a starting point – your final plan should be reviewed by a competent event medical provider.
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