The simulation team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead were involved in a Major incident training exercise. The driver for a practical major incident exercise, including simulation, is from current national emergency preparedness, resilience and response standards
Exercise Beacon was a clinically led, management supported live major trauma simulation exercise that was held in the early evening of Wednesday 18 September 2024.
This exercise is to help the Trust be prepared in the event of a major and/or mass casualty incident. It was attended by a range of trust clinical, operational, staff volunteers and directing staff who volunteered their time to test clinical and operational roles and also act as live casualties. This was supported by our colleagues in NEAS and the Regional Trauma Network. The feedback from attendees has been very positive and a number of organisational lessons have been identified.
The exercise took place in the old emergency department which is now used as a day unit. Multiple simulated casualties allowed us test the viability of using the area as a secondary emergency department in the event of a large scale major incident or an incident requiring temporary closure of the emergency care centre.
Dr Paul Quinn, Consultant in Emergency Medicine & Trust Trauma lead spoke highly if the Trust Simulation Team, in particular Drew Griffiths, Trust Simulation Education Technician.
“Drew’s input was instrumental to the success of the exercise and the use of high-quality sim equipment highlighted a number of key debrief points that we are now working on".
The CEO of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Trudie Davies, recognised the event and named them Team of Week.
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