UEFA’s drive to transmit crucial medical football know-how throughout its member associations continues apace – with a workshop in Spain the latest event putting the spotlight on the UEFA Football Doctor Education Programme (FDEP).

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) organised its cascaded course at its Las Rosas facilities under the auspices of RFEF chief medical officer and UEFA Medical Committee member Dr Helena Herrero. A total of 22 football doctors from elite national and club teams in Spain attended the workshop.

The FDEP began in 2011, and aims to disseminating advice and information concerning the work undertaken by the modern football doctor. Programme topics include emergency treatment of players, roles and responsibilities of the football medic, diagnosis and treatment of injuries, prevention and rehabilitation of injuries, and anti-doping. Content for the programme has been developed in conjunction with the UEFA Medical Committee and sports medicine experts. 

This content is being filtered down through the member associations through workshops taking place at national level. Consequently, national association medical representatives are being helped to transfer the knowledge shared in senior international football down to the medical staff and club doctors at all levels.

"Emergency medical treatment is a high priority in Spanish football," said Dr Herrero after the workshop. "The skills that [the doctors] learned will be vital to furthering the knowledge of emergency medicine and techniques amongst all who provide pitch-side medical services to our players and to the players of visiting teams."

UEFA is lending medical emergency training kit, and is supplying educational tools such as technical handbooks. The European governing body is also providing trained course delegates to offer invaluable advice, as well as an extensive online platform with learning facilities.

"The UEFA FDEP initiative has been a great way to raise awareness of this important medical area," said Dr Herrero, "and we are proud that the RFEF are at the forefront of promoting expert medical care across European football."