A collision between a bus and a lorry on the A46 near Cossington left 36 individuals requiring medical care last week (November 2024). Dr. Peter Hughes, a volunteer with EMICS (East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme), was one of first medical professionals to arrive at the scene in the EMICS fast response vehicle.
Emergency responders arriving at the crash faced immediate challenges. Dr. Hughes described the situation: “There was a lorry and a bus with significant damage blocking the road, there were a lot of children still onboard the bus, it was chaotic. The approach to the accident was also difficult as another unrelated crash 500 meters before the scene had almost complete blocked the road.”
Dr. Hughes initially triaged the 16 patients visible at the site and made plans for the treatment required. The situation became more complex when it was discovered that 20 additional children were moved to a nearby building, raising the total to 36 people in need of medical attention spread over two sites.
“My primary role was scene management and co-ordination” Dr. Hughes explained, “this involved making decisions on who required transfer to hospital, planning how they would be transported and coordinating with multiple agencies like the police, fire services, Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and of course multiple resources from the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS)”
The accident’s victims were mostly 12-year-old children, adding emotional and medical challenges. Dr. Hughes highlighted the emotional toll of working with pediatric patients. “Children can hide injuries, so extra vigilance was critical. The teachers and other responders did an excellent job managing the children’s emotions during the incident.”
Dr. Hughes described the extraordinary collaboration among various emergency services. “This job was a true multi-agency effort. The seamless integration between EMICS, EMAS, the police, the air ambulance and fire services were crucial,” he said.
The arrival of EMICS doctors offered immediate reassurance. “We often hear EMAS colleagues say, ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ because we bring extra expertise to help in tough situations. Our experience with handling mass-casualty incidents and pediatric trauma makes a big difference,” Dr. Hughes said.
“EMICS brings expertise that complements the work of EMAS, particularly in high-pressure incidents like this,” Dr. Hughes said. “Our presence helps ensure we bring the hospital to the patient, delivering advanced medical decision making and care right at the scene.”
Despite the severity of the collision, Dr. Hughes reflected on how much worse it could have been. “They were all very, very lucky. If the bus had been just five meters further to the left or had started to roll over, it could have been catastrophic,” he said.
As a volunteer-based organisation, EMICS specialises in bringing advanced medical care directly to emergency scenes. “Our role is to bring the hospital to the patient, delivering treatment immediately,” said Dr. Hughes. “This early specialist intervention can genuinely save lives.”
However, EMICS operates entirely on donations, receiving no government or NHS funding. Dr. Hughes highlighted the urgent need for financial support. “The demand for EMICS is clear, and incidents like this show how critical our role is. Continued funding is vital to sustain this work,” he said.
For more information or to support EMICS, visit https://emics.org.uk/donate.
