11.12.2010 30 hurt as Oxford Tube Coach flips on M40
30 hurt as Oxford Tube Coach flips on M40
More than 30 people were injured on Saturday 11th December when a coach overturned on a slip road off the M40, in Oxfordshire. There were 34 people including the driver on the coach.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust dispatched six ambulances, a multi-cot vehicle and several officers and fast response vehicles to the scene, which had been declared a major incident by the first ambulance personnel to arrive.
BASICS Thames Valley member, Dr Neil Thomson was mobilised to the scene soon after the first 999 calls.
Says Dr Thomson: “On my arrival, it was clear that the scene was being managed very well, and that there were effective command, control and triage systems in operation. Two of the more seriously injured patients had already been conveyed to hospital, whilst others were being assessed and treated by ambulance crews. One patient remained trapped in the wreckage of the coach, which was on its side, and wedged down an embankment”.
Working together with specialist rescue teams from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the trapped patient was stabilised and extricated from the bus before being conveyed to Hospital.
Of the 17 people conveyed to hospital, all but five were discharged by the following morning.
14 patients with minor injuries were discharged from the scene.
Dr Thomson added: “Although this was a challenging incident, with a significant number of patients, it could have been much worse, especially given the recent appalling weather. There was good cooperation between the emergency services and supporting agencies. Being able to properly assess and discharge patients with minor injuries from scene greatly reduced the pressure on the emergency department.”
http://www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk/news/newsrecords/1012/101212coachcrash.aspx