Manchester Arena Inquiry Changes

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Introduction

Lessons Learned and What Organisers Must Do Differently

The Manchester Arena bombing on 22 May 2017 was a devastating attack that resulted in the loss of 22 lives and left hundreds injured. In the aftermath, the Manchester Arena Inquiry exposed serious shortcomings in emergency planning, coordination, and medical response at the event.

The inquiry has been a turning point for event medicine in the UK, triggering widespread reform in how organisers, venues and medical providers approach safety and care. If you are involved in planning live events, these lessons must now be embedded into your strategy.

Integrated Emergency Planning is No Longer Optional

One of the starkest findings from the inquiry was the lack of coordinated planning between the event organisers, venue staff, medical providers and emergency services.

What this means now:

You must have a multi-agency emergency plan in place, clearly setting out roles, responsibilities and actions for major incidents.
Emergency procedures should be developed in consultation with the NHS Ambulance Service, police, fire and local authorities.
Plans must include response to terrorism, mass casualty events, and crowd-related emergencies.

Command and Control Structures Must Be Clearly Defined

The inquiry revealed confusion over who was in charge of the medical response, which led to delayed and fragmented care.

What this means now:

Every medical provider must have a named clinical lead with the authority and expertise to take charge.
There should be a formal command and control structure linking venue operations, medical teams and emergency services.
At large or high-risk events, the clinical lead should not have dual roles and must remain hands-off to maintain oversight.

All Staff Must Be Properly Trained for Major Incidents

One issue identified was that staff on site, including stewards and medical teams, were not adequately trained to respond to mass casualty scenarios.

What this means now:

Medical providers must ensure major incident training is embedded into staff preparation.
Event organisers should require tabletop or live exercises that simulate real-world emergencies.
Venue staff and stewards should be briefed on their role in a major incident, including how to assist emergency services.

Communication Systems Must Be Reliable and Secure

The failure of communications was a key theme in the inquiry’s findings. Medical teams struggled to coordinate because they lacked dedicated or interoperable channels.

What this means now:

Events must implement dedicated medical radio channels with appropriate backup systems.
Clear escalation routes must exist for calling in external emergency support.
Organisers should invest in inter-agency communications protocols that allow seamless handover between on-site and off-site teams.

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The ‘Care Gap’ Must Be Closed

A recurring concern was the gap between injury and treatment, especially for casualties who could have survived with earlier intervention.

What this means now:

Medical plans must include rapid triage capability, with equipment and trained staff ready to respond to trauma.
Providers should demonstrate the ability to manage complex injuries, mental health crises and safeguarding concerns.
The goal should be to manage casualties on site as far as safely possible, while ensuring timely transfer to hospital when needed.

Event Medicine is Now a Strategic Priority

The inquiry has pushed event medical planning to the forefront of safety management. The old approach of minimal first aid and outsourcing responsibility is no longer acceptable.

What this means now:

Organisers must conduct a Medical Needs Assessment that covers every phase of the event, including build, ingress and egress.
A formal Medical Plan must be developed, detailing staffing levels, qualifications, equipment, communication protocols and contingency plans.
These plans should be shared with the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and be available for scrutiny by local authorities and emergency services.

The Purple Guide Reflects These Changes

The updated Purple Guide has been informed by the inquiry’s findings and now emphasises:

Risk-based planning over attendance numbers
The need for multi-agency collaboration
Full consideration of terrorism and major incident risk
Safeguarding, data protection and infection control
Robust provider selection and due diligence

If you are not consulting the Purple Guide during your planning process, you are already behind. Read our article about changes to the purple guide here

Final Thoughts

The Manchester Arena Inquiry has reshaped the expectations placed on event organisers. The focus has shifted from basic compliance to proactive competence, and the industry is being held to a higher standard.

Whether you are planning a community fair or a major festival, you now have a duty to plan for the worst, not just the best.

By embedding the inquiry’s recommendations into your event planning, you are not only fulfilling your legal and moral responsibilities, but also helping to create safer, more resilient public gatherings across the UK.

Sources

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/manchester-arena-inquiry-reports

https://www.mi5.gov.uk/news/response-to-manchester-arena-inquiry-report

https://www.thepurpleguide.co.uk

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