MEDICAL
SDU will provide comprehensive medical care to keep participants safe and help them achieve their goals. Our team will include a doctor, nurses and Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics, and their goal is to maintain the health and safety of all participants and prevent or treat serious illness or injury.
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Our team recognises that there is an inherent risk in events like SDU and will do whatever they can to balance the desires of the participant with maintaining their health and safety. In many instances our medical team will work with the participant to manage any injuries or illnesses that may arise throughout the duration of the event, in order to maximise their chances of completing the event.
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We understand that most people have traveled considerable distances at significant cost to participate in SDU, and we respect that many will want to continue even at considerable detriment to their own health. It is integral that participants make our medical team aware of any illness or injury that arises so that steps can be taken early to manage and/or treat it, which in many instances will allow the participant to continue. We encourage participants to be open with our medical team about any issues so that they can understand the full extent and treat accordingly.
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Our Medical Director will have the over arching authority in relation to participant health, and their decision whether a participant continues or not will be final. These decisions are not taken lightly and will be discussed in full with the participant. Please note that under no circumstances will participants be permitted to continue where there is a risk of significant illness or injury from doing so, or where the remote nature of the event significantly increases the risk should something become serious. It is our goal to have as many people as possible complete SDU and we will always strive to encourage and support people where there is no detriment to their overall health and well being.
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All participants will be required to submit a medical clearance prior to participating in any of the SDU events. While this is partly due to the physical nature of such events, it is also in part due to the remote nature of our event with our closest fully equipped hospital 700km by road. Our medical team needs this information to ensure they are fully briefed and prepared of any known risks, and that they are in a position to manage and treat wherever needed. All information gathered as part of the medical clearances is strictly confidential and will only be used by the medical team to ensure participant safety throughout the SDU event.
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Participants will receive a thorough briefing prior the commencement of the event which will include a significant portion on medical care, support and safety.