'Field hospital' for rugby clash

A treatment room will be opened at the Millennium Stadium

A mobile casualty unit is to be set up in Cardiff to treat rugby fans with minor injuries during the city's two Six Nations matches.

The service, which will work alongside a first aid treatment centre at the Millennium Stadium, was piloted over the Christmas season.

Both will be set up on Saturday for the Wales versus England match, as thousands of rugby fans visit the city.

At Christmas, more than 100 incidents were dealt with in the city centre.

Organisers say that the temporary medical units will also be used for similar events in the future.

The Cardiff Community Safety Partnership (CCSP) will co-ordinate the medical units with the support of the ambulance service, medical staff, St John Ambulance and the South Wales Police.

Rapid response paramedics will be on hand to deal with 999 calls in the city centre, although ambulances will still be used if necessary.

It follows a successful trial over the Christmas period where 108 incidents were dealt with in the city centre instead of having to use emergency ambulances.

It reduces the number of patients that otherwise would have come to the emergency unit at the University Hospital of Wales Peter Richmond, Cardiff and Vale NHS

And the Millennium Stadium first aid treatment centre prevented a further 38 hospital admissions.

The CCSP said that this reduced demand on the ambulance service, police officers and the University Hospital of Wales A&E Unit.

Those with minor injuries were treated at the temporary medical units rather than being taken to hospital accident and emergency departments.

Chris Sims, from the Welsh Ambulance Service said: "We hope to build upon the success of the scheme run in Cardiff throughout the festive season by targeting the facility at times of known high demand, such as events in the Millennium Stadium, by providing the right treatment at the right time in the right place".

Thousands of visitors

His comments were echoed by Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust clinical director of emergency units Peter Richmond.

"It reduces the number of patients that otherwise would have come to the emergency unit at the University Hospital of Wales," he said.

Chief Superintendent Bob Evans from South Wales Police said: "Officers deal with hundreds of people every weekend in the city centre.

"Many need medical treatment and officers often have to stay with them until ambulance personnel arrive.

"This initiative means that those needing medical help will get it immediately.

"It also means that officers are freed up much more quickly - enabling them to continue with their duties on what is often an extremely busy evening".

Many St John Ambulance volunteers will be on hand to help medical staff deal with injuries.

The mobile units will be in operation for the Wales v England match on Saturday and for the Wales v Ireland rugby match on 19 March.