Bus crash exercise 'aims to improve communication'

Actors took part in the exercise alongside students and professionals

The aftermath of a crash between a bus and three cars has been simulated in a training event to help improve communication between emergency services.

About 400 people were involved in the exercise organised by the University of Buckingham Medical School.

The aim was to offer realistic experiences to about 190 medical students and 50 police, fire service and local council professionals.

Prof Joanne Selway, one of the organisers, said the event should improve communication at road accidents, which are the most common major incidents emergency services deal with.

The exercise simulated a serious road accident

She said "communication always comes out as something that can be improved" when reviews take place into major incidents.

People are often "seeing uniform, seeing status" when trying to communicate with local people or other professionals, and that can hamper medical outcomes, she added.

The exercise involved actors playing the roles of bus and car passengers and passers-by.

Amputee actors wore make-up to mimic fresh injuries at the university's Ford Meadow sports field.

Thames Valley Police was required to track down an apparent drunk driver while Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service had to get people out of vehicles.

Milton Keynes City Council staff took on roles co-ordinating the response.

The simulation has become an annual exercise for third-year university students