The Welsh Ambulance Service (WAS) is encouraging students to stay safe and plan ahead as they gear up for this coming Wednesday’s annual Varsity sports day in Cardiff city centre.
With over 20 sporting events taking place across the city, culminating in the Cardiff v Swansea students Varsity rugby match at the Millennium Stadium, the day is expected to be a busy one for the capital.
Additional services are being put in place to prepare for an anticipated increase in emergency calls to ensure the ambulance service can concentrate on reaching those patients with serious or immediately life threatening illnesses or injuries.
The ambulance service’s mobile treatment centre on St Mary’s Street, supported by St John Wales volunteers, will be open to primarily treat walk-in patients and minor injuries.
Cardiff’s Alcohol Treatment Centre based at Ebenezer Chapel on Charles Street will also be open. The triage project, a joint venture between Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan councils and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and supported by WAS and South Wales Police, treats casualties and provides an alcohol recovery service to ensure the safety of patients who have overindulged.
Bob Tooby, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Head of Service for Cardiff and the Vale said: “We do anticipate an increase in calls associated with the Varsity sports day. There can be a tendency for students to overindulge in alcohol and become unwell and although we don’t want to be killjoys, we do ask students to act responsibly and look after their friends and colleagues.
“Please think in advance about the consequences of day and night drinking, make sure you have planned how you are getting home and bear in mind that it often gets much colder late at night.
“The ambulance service and emergency departments are for emergencies only. Please ‘Choose Well’ and remember that pharmacies, GPs Out of Hours, NHS Direct Wales and self help are all alternatives to dialling 999.
“Unfortunately over indulgence can also mean an increase in abuse of our staff so please remember to treat our staff just as you would wish them to treat you.”