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Paul Bailey North West Rescue vehicle Administration
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Commonwealth Games Manchester 2002 Lessons learnt. Paul Bailey North West Ambulance Service
Introduction • GMAS contracted By M2002 • Agreed to provide cover to the Green and Purple guide standards • Decided must provide cover without affecting core business • Would work closely with the voluntary medical provider and • other medical responders
Introduction • Used to dealing with large events • MUFC /MCFC and Concerts • Delivers over 1 million patient journeys per year • 250,000 emergency journeys • All the experience is already there
September 11th • Massive security implications • Security states were increased • Public areas became secure areas • Vehicle and staff searches • Accreditation levels increased • Would your organisation be able to react at short notice?
Initial Planning • GMAS began planning Autumn 2000 • January 2001 Full time Games liaison officer appointed • Accreditation officer appointed • Extra staff added in increments • Needed to start earlier!
Groups GMAS represented on • Games medical steering group • Emergency services liaison group • City council licensing and planning groups • Stadium planning group • Safety advisory group • Mutual aid group • Accreditation group • ETC ‘Big commitment’
Venue staffing • Safety at Sports Grounds and Event Safety Guide used • to help determine staff levels • Festival Manchester required a mix of both guides • Specialist cover for 5000+ athletes • Extra training for athlete recovery team • Several venues were new build
Contingency Plans • Detailed individual contingency plans were produced by GMAS • GMAS had input into each individual venues operating plan • Ensured seamless venue planning
Venues • Lead for each venue identified • They attended any exercises and meetings that were held at their venues • Staff for this role, were carefully selected, mainly from experienced 1st line managers • Relationships were formed at venue level
Mutual Aid • Lancashire and Surrey Ambulance service covered events in their own Counties • Bolton Mountain Rescue assisted with mountain biking • Mersey, West Yorkshire and East Midlands Ambulance also provided staff and vehicles
Resources • 5675 staff hours & 550 management hours • 15 dedicated and fully equipped paramedic units • 3 equipment vehicles • Based at 3 ambulance stations • In addition to the 15 GMAS vehicles, 1 crewed paramedic unit was supplied each day by neighbouring ambulance services, as part of the agreed mutual aid package.
Resources • 596 staff, were accredited by GMAS NHS Trust • 67 support workers • FRP’s worked 1,126 hours • Paramedics and technician shifts totalled 4,372.50 hrs • Officer hours totalled 550.75hrs • 973 meals, were consumed • St John Ambulance were contracted by GMAS to provide 176 hrs of additional cover at Sports city.
Resources • Annual leave allocation during the games period was reduced • Training courses were re scheduled • All scheduled vehicle servicing was suspended • Mechanics were placed on a 24hr rota • 3 new emergency equipment vehicles added • Neighbouring Ambulance Services provided mutual aid
Training • Training and exercising was critical for plan validation • Live training sessions were planned into the games rehearsals • Allowed partners to get to know each other
Training • Emergency Planning college used for exercises • Several scenarios were produced, which tested each agencies abilities to deal with incidents of varying scale and severity • All agencies agreed that working together in this environment helped each to understand the others roles and responsibilities
Funding • No monies in GMAS budget • No Government money available • Executive agreed to provide cover for venues at cost • M2002 paid for GMAS provision at venues • Extra money for City events and festival put through as cost pressures • Some equipment donated / sponsored
Lessons Learnt • Accreditation • M2002 required every person to be accredited • Agreed that GMAS would photograph and complete all the staff accreditation forms • Accreditation officer was appointed by GMAS • This procedure managed to catch 95% of staff • GMAS staff would receive access all areas passes
Lessons Learnt • M2002 decided to use volunteers to provide a large amount of the medical cover • M2002 had difficulty in resourcing the agreed number of crowd and athlete doctors • Doctors were unpaid volunteers and occasionally left venues before events were finished. • First aid provider also had difficulty when shifts were increased at short notice.
Lessons Learnt Organisers of such events should in future give consideration, to the possibility of having key members of the medical teams (I.E. the minimum requirement on the venue licence) as paid professionals. This would allow the flexibility required to adapt to rapid and unforeseen changes, without impacting on the events.
Lessons Learnt • Mutual aidwas an important part of the plan • Crews from other services were located at venues where GMAS staff were also present
Lessons Learnt • Thorough training and exercising were fundamental to the success of the Games • These included a 3 day exerciseat the UK’s emergency planning college (Easingwold) • Many other desktop and Games readiness exercises were held • All these events proving invaluable in the planning process
Lessons Learnt • The importance of early setting up of a dedicated Games planning team, should not be under estimated • Not all of the early meetings were attended • Some draft plans being drawn up without GMAS input • It was difficult to then try and get these plans changed • Building relationships early with the many different organisers and contractors cannot be understated
Lessons Learnt • GMAS was not represented at the athlete’s village • GMAS agreed a procedure with M2002 for ambulance attendance • Not all village staff were correctly briefed • Resulted in severe delays in athletes receiving treatment
Statistics • GMAS staff were involved with 177 incidents and transported 81 patients to various hospitals. • 8 different hospitals were used • The village medical centre was classed as a hospital • Peak times for incidents were between 16:00 and 22:00 • Sudden illness and limb injuries were the most prevalent @ 17.5% and 14.1% respectively • 6 injured athletes were conveyed • The play zone teams recovered 11 athletes from the field of play
Feel good factor • Staff unsure at first • Issues with cancelled leave and transport • Large numbers volunteered • Sickness reduced to lowest level in years • Staff and managers ‘embraced’ the games • Unprecedented co-operation between staff and other agencies • Good feeling continued for months after
