Innovative On-Call Medical Service Helps Falmouth University

A student suffering significant trauma receives medical care within minutes thanks to a new partnership.

A student suffered a severe open fracture of the tibia and fibula on campus; an extremely serious injury with immediate risks to circulation, limb viability and long-term function. The casualty was in excruciating pain and the condition of the leg was significantly compromised.

Thanks to the university’s partnership with Coast Medic, an on-call paramedic was dispatched and on scene within minutes, delivering a level of care far beyond standard first aid provision.

Following a rapid clinical assessment, our paramedic administered advanced analgesia, including morphine and Entonox, before performing a time-critical realignment of the limb and applying a splint to stabilise the injury. This decisive intervention helped restore circulation and prevent further deterioration, significantly reducing the risk of permanent damage.

“It was immediately clear this was a serious traumatic injury,” said Luke, the attending paramedic. “Without urgent realignment, the loss of circulation could have led to a life-changing outcome. Acting quickly was essential.”

Once stabilised, the patient was supported by NHS ambulance services and transferred to the local Emergency Department for definitive care.

The challenge for Educational Establishments

Across the UK, increasing demand on NHS ambulance services has led to well-documented delays in response times, particularly during periods of peak pressure. This means that in many cases, patients experiencing medical emergencies may wait significant periods before an ambulance arrives.

For universities and schools, this creates a critical risk and places significant burden on campus staff.

Traditionally, organisations have relied on onsite first aid provision to bridge the gap. However, first aid by its very nature is limited.  It is designed to preserve life and prevent deterioration, not to deliver definitive clinical treatment. In today’s environment, where ambulance delays can occur, first aid alone is no longer sufficient to consistently ensure positive patient outcomes.

How Our Service Bridges the Gap Between Incident and Ambulance Arrival

Our on-call paramedic service has been specifically developed to address this growing challenge.  By providing rapid access to qualified paramedics and ambulance clinicians, we ensure that when an incident occurs:

• Clinical care begins within minutes
• Patients receive advanced assessment, treatment and stabilisation onsite
• Serious conditions can be managed and treated proactively, reducing the risk of deterioration
• Ambulance transfer to hospital in the event NHS services are significantly delayed

This fundamentally changes the response model; from waiting for care, to delivering care immediately.

Protecting Your Staff and Reducing Pressure

Without clinical support, responsibility for managing unwell or injured individuals often falls to security teams, pastoral staff, or first aiders; sometimes for prolonged periods.

This creates several challenges:

• Staff are placed in high-pressure situations beyond their clinical scope
• Incidents can become prolonged and resource-intensive
• There is an increased risk of stress, fatigue, and emotional impact on staff

Our service removes that burden and responsibility.  With paramedics available on-call, your team is rapidly supported by experienced clinicians who can take over patient care, make clinical decisions, and manage the incident through to resolution or handover.

This allows your staff to return to their primary roles, while having confidence that the patient is receiving appropriate, professional medical care.

A Modern, Responsible Approach to Safety

Educational institutions have a clear duty of care to ensure that appropriate systems are in place to respond to medical emergencies.  In a landscape where NHS services are under sustained pressure, forward-thinking organisations are recognising that:

• Response time is critical to outcomes
• Clinical capability onsite significantly reduces risk
• Relying solely on external emergency services is no longer enough

Our on-call paramedic service provides a robust, scalable solution, enhancing safety, supporting staff and ensuring that when emergencies happen, your organisation is prepared to respond at a clinical level.

When minutes matter, having the right people available quickly makes all the difference.

Learn More About the Service

We are currently offering schools, colleges and businesses with advanced medical services on an on-call basis.  This offers an extremely cost effective service that improves care within your organisation.  For more information please contact us using the online contact form on our website.