Role · Health, safety and medical
The first person anyone calls when someone is hurt on set.
The set medic, usually called the unit medic in the UK, provides first aid and medical cover for cast and crew all day.
The job
You're on the unit from first call to wrap, treating injury and illness and ready for worse. Most of the day is small stuff: cuts, burns, headaches, stings, heat and cold, blisters.
You also plan for the big things. You know the route to the nearest A&E and major trauma centre, and agree cover with the stunt coordinator and SFX supervisor on hazardous days. You keep treatment records and help production meet its reporting duties.
A typical day
- Arrive before unit call, check your kit and the call sheet's hospital information.
- Introduce yourself to the 1st AD, stunt coordinator and SFX supervisor if they are working.
- Stand by near set, on radio, through the day.
- Treat minor injuries and keep records.
- Watch welfare: heat, cold, water, hydration and long hours.
- Attend safety briefings for stunts and effects, positioned as planned.
- Report any reportable incident to production.
Qualifications and registration
The level of cover depends on the production's first aid needs assessment, which the employer must carry out. In UK law:
- Paramedics must be registered with the HCPC.
- Nurses must be registered with the NMC.
- Doctors must be registered and licensed with the GMC.
- First responder qualifications such as FREC 3 and FREC 4 are regulated qualifications, set at different levels.
- Providers carrying out regulated activities in England, such as treating injuries, need to be registered with the Care Quality Commission. This usually applies to the medical company that books you.
Only work within your registration and your scope of practice.
Skills
- Pre-hospital emergency care.
- Calm judgement, and knowing when to call an ambulance.
- Understanding of stunts, SFX, water and height work, and their risks.
- Discretion and good manners with cast and crew.
- Stamina for long days, often outdoors.
Reporting lines
You report to the production manager, and work closely with the 1st AD and the health and safety adviser. On a large production you may report to a lead medic or medical coordinator.
How people get in
Most unit medics come from the ambulance service, nursing, the armed forces or event medicine. Many work through specialist film and TV medical companies.
Next step up
Lead medic or medical coordinator on large productions, or running a medical company.
Find out more
- HSE: first aid at work, guidance on the regulations (L74)
- HCPC register · NMC register · CQC
- No Bectu rate card covers medics; rates are agreed with the production. See the ScreenSkills job profiles index for related roles.
Skills checklist · Health, safety and medical
Unit medic (set medic)
Medical cover for the unit, call to wrap.
Tick what you can do now. It saves on this device only. Print it or save it as a PDF and bring it to your competency check.
A guide, not a qualification. Built from our health, safety and medical ladder and the unit medic guide. Checked 13 November 2026.
Watch
2 items
Last reviewed 9 November 2026