Concussion Policies & Guidelines

In 2023, the UK Government and Sport and Recreation Alliance published UK-wide Concussion Guidance for Grassroots Sport which sets out steps to improve understanding and awareness of the prevention and treatment of concussion in grassroots sport where trained medical professionals are less likely to be routinely present. It is targeted at people of all ages.

The UK Concussion Guidelines for Non-Elite (Grassroots) Sport can be viewed here.

England Hockey have endorse the guidance which now applies to all clubs.

‘If in doubt, sit them out’ is the strapline, making clear no-one should return to sport within 24 hours of a suspected concussion.

Players, parents, coaches, teachers and administrators are now asked to read the guidance and familiarise themselves with the necessary steps to:

• RECOGNISE the signs of concussion.
• REMOVE anyone suspected of being concussed immediately and;
• RETURN safely to daily activity, education/work and, ultimately, sport.

CONCUSSION AWARENESS (UK COACHING)

UK Coaching have produced an e-learning course to give you an essential understanding of concussion and its impact on a participant. The course will help you understand what concussion is and how to recognise signs and symptoms, and how to a participant’s safe and sustainable return to play, and can be accessed here.

CONCUSSION POLICY

England Hockey concussion policy can be found here

England Hockey concussion policy is under review currently and will be updated to align to the DCMS guidance.

CONCUSSION RECOGNITION TOOLS

The CRT 6 (Concussion Recognition Tool) can be used by anyone (i.e. non Health Care Professionals) for the identification and immediate management of a suspected concussion. It is not designed to diagnose concussion.

The SCAT6 Child (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) is a standardised tool for evaluating concussions designed for use by appropriately trained Health Care Professionals (HCPs). The SCAT6 Child is used for evaluating athletes aged 8 – 12 years old.

The SCAT6 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) is a standardised tool for evaluating concussions designed for use by appropriately trained Health Care Professionals (HCPs). The SCAT6 is used for evaluating athletes aged 13 years and older.

Both SCAT6 versions cannot be performed correctly in less than 10-15 minutes. Except for the symptoms scale, the SCAT6 is intended to be used in the acute phase, ideally within 72 hours (3 days), and up to 7 days, following injury.

Download CRT 6 (Everyone) .PDF

Download SCAT 6 child (HCP only) .PDF

Download SCAT 6 adult (HCP only) .PDF

For further information from England Hockey on planning safe hockey click here