Return For Care Facility To Aid Festive Season Revellers
20 December 2011
A care facility that attended to more than 60 people in need of
medical attention last year will be ensuring the well-being of city
centre revellers again this festive season.
Staff from the SaferPeterborough partnership and St John Ambulance will
attend to people in need of medical assistance in The Peterborough
Care Tent on Laxton Square, Peterborough, on Friday 23 December
2011 from 10pm until 4am.
The facility will be open for the same hours on Christmas Eve
and New Year's Eve.
The tent will once again support the reduction of ambulance
turnaround times, meaning more resources are available to deal with
emergency calls about life-threatening situations and reduce
hospital waiting times to treat people with minor injuries and
welfare cases. No emergency NHS ambulances were required in the
city centre during the operating hours of the care facility in
2010.
A doctor, paramedic, nurse and five first aiders will deal with
any potential intoxicated party-goers and vulnerable people that
have been picked up by police or directed to the facility by pub
and club workers via a CityLink radio channel.
Treatment equipment including bedding, ice packs, blankets,
first aid kits and oxygen response bags will be included in the
tent. The care facility team will be made up of staff from the
East of England Ambulance Service NHS
Trust,
Peterborough & Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,
St John Ambulance,
Cambridgeshire Constabulary and
Peterborough City Council.
The facility will also be supported by an emergency ambulance
and a rapid response medical car.
Inspector Matt Newman of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: "The
care facility will help to ensure timely and appropriate medical
care for people who are injured, ill or in need of immediate
welfare support in the city centre.
“The assistance of numerous organisations has made this project
possible for the second year running and we hope it will be another
success where vulnerable people will be protected and help is given
to those who need it. Obviously we hope people will enjoy a night
in the city centre without the need for medical attention."
Andy Howes, Emergency Department Charge Nurse for Peterborough
and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The care
facility was a great success last year and the Trust is very happy
to be supporting the service again. By being on scene we can treat
people faster and remove the need for many to attend the hospital's
emergency department. This helps to reduce the pressure on the
emergency services at what is already a busy time of year."
Street pastors will also be supporting the facility and police
community support officers (PCSOs) will 'meet and greet' revellers
entering the city centre from 8pm on each of the nights. Tesco on
Broadway in Peterborough will be supplying lollypops, water and
chocolate for people visiting the tent and Pizza Express on
Cathedral Square will be providing meals for staff.
Ends.
Media contact: Pep Cipriano, SaferPeterborough Communications
Manager- telephone 01733 452551 or email pep.cipriano@peterborough.gov.uk