STUDENT paramedics’ emergency response skills were put to the test this week as part of a staged 999 call-out.

The exercise involved working with North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and Sunderland Royal Hospital’s Emergency Department.

The students, in the first year of their Diploma of Higher Education in Paramedic Practice at the University of Sunderland, were tasked with being the first response to a critically-ill patient, whose health rapidly deteriorates.

With back-up and advanced life support from the ambulance service’s Cardiac Arrest Response team, the patient was then conveyed to hospital, where they were met by student nurses and doctors at the accident and emergency department, for further assessment and treatment.

The full-scale simulation was designed to improve safer patient care and help the various emergency responders work together in challenging and unpredictable situations, putting into practice their skills and responsibilities similar to what they would experience during a real-life emergency.

This is the first time the three partners have engaged in such a collaborative simulation scenario, which was filmed throughout using body cameras on all participants, allowing for assessment and feedback - opening the door to further collective training.