Celebrity doctor shares his ski safety tips
Celebrity medic Dr Hilary Jones has given some advice for British skiers after a Post Office Insurance survey revealed that 36% had sustained an injury on the slopes.
Almost one fifth of these were serious, including broken bones, fractured bones, pulled ligaments or tendons, sprains and concussion.
Dr Hilary, health editor for ITV’s Breakfast Television, said the majority of injuries were ‘predominantly preventable’ with some preparation.
"Before hitting the slopes, skiers can wear appropriate clothing and should avoid skiing right after a tipple to help protect themselves and ensure they stay fighting fit for their whole break," he said.
"Whilst we all want to make the most of our holidays, it is important that if skiers do find themselves injured for any reason, they do not delay seeking medical attention and risk making their injuries worse."
However, the survey of 4,500-plus adults found that treatments at a walk-in clinic typically cost £500 to £1000, while the cost of a helicopter rescue to hospital can cost £2,500 – and, according to the Post Office survey, skiers often have to foot the bill themselves because 48% admit not buying insurance.
The survey revealed that the Scottish are the most accident prone, with 9% admitting they had suffered a broken bone on the slopes. Yet the Scots are also the least likely to purchase insurance (66%) in comparison to their English counterparts (55%).
The Post Office survey found that the over 55s and under 24s were most reckless when it comes to insurance. Only 38% of older skiers and 37% of young people said they bought insurance for their most recent trip.
A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card offers some free and reduced cost treatment within the EU, but these vary by country and those without insurance could find themselves heavily out of pocket on the slopes if they have no insurance, said the Post Office.
Managing Director of Post Office Insurance, Rob Clarkson added: "At Post Office we want to ensure our customers are adequately prepared for their winter sports holiday including knowing how they can avoid risk and misfortune while there. If people are mistakenly assuming that an EHIC card gives sufficient cover, the cost could be high if you do have an accident.
"It’s also important for people to explore what their insurance policy covers especially if for example they are planning to go off-piste outside of resort boundaries."
As part of its #SkiSafe campaign, Post Office Insurance is offering holidaymakers advice on its website to let skiers know what measures they can take to avoid injury and what to look out for when buying insurance.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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