The Millennium Stadium will become a temporary hospital tonight (Friday) as the local ambulance service, St John Wales, and hospitals prepare for an influx of revellers on one of the busiest nights of the festive season.
A mobile triage and treatment centre will be set up at the home of Welsh sport to free up A&E resources and look after the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrators for the seventh consecutive year.
During last year’s Christmas party nights, the medical centre dealt with 22 minor injuries at the Millennium Stadium, while the more serious are sent to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Millennium Stadium General Manager, and former chief superintendent with South Wales Police, Gerry Toms is all too familiar with the party atmosphere that hits the Welsh capital around the Christmas period and is delighted to be able to offer the venue free of hire charge on these occasions.
“The Millennium Stadium’s Community Events initiative allows community and charitable organisations across Wales to make use of their national stadium facilities free of charge for unique events and I’m thrilled that St John Wales will benefit on what is an extremely demanding time of year for ambulance services,” he said.
Rhodri Jones, Commander of Operations for St John Wales, said: “St John Wales, the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust and other emergency services have always enjoyed a close working relationship.
“These innovative projects would not be able to operate without the support of the Millennium Stadium and the dedication of the volunteers, who give up their time to help others, and ultimately save lives.”
