All plans on this site are fit for purpose and should be referred to and enacted dependent upon the incident.
For latest advice and guidance documents for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response please click here.
What is a Major Emergency or Major Incident?
Major emergencies or disasters are termed 'Major Incidents' by the CIVIL CONTINGENCIES ACT 2004. A Major Incident is any incident that has the potential to escalate and:
- Requires a substantial emergency response from one or more agencies that is likely to stretch resources
- Needs special arrangements to be put in place including the unlocking of resources.
- Requires a planned, coordinated multi agency approach and the implementation of Command and Control arrangements.
Why plan for emergencies?
 Receiving a Major Incident casualty
|  Booking in a Major incident casualty |
- The main reason is of
course, because disasters can and do happen and it’s sensible to have plans to
deal with them.
- There is a moral duty of care to patients and their families, the staff, the community and partner agencies.
- Emergency plans are an insurance policy to mitigate the social and financial costs of Major Incidents.
- As an acute NHS trust we
are a ‘Category One Responder’ under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and have
a statutory obligation to plan, train and exercise for emergencies in
consultation, coordination, communication and cooperation with partner agencies
like other NHS organisations, emergency services, local authorities, government
agencies, the voluntary sector, commercial healthcare providers, contractors
and suppliers.
Trust Major Incident Policy & plans
The Trust's MAJOR INCIDENT POLICY has been developed in accordance with the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) 2004 and HEALTH EMERGENCY PLANNING GUIDANCE: UNDERPINNING MATERIALS FOR ACUTE AND FOUNDATION HOSPITAL TRUSTS 2005. The policy is supported by a suite of operational Major Incident and Business Continuity Plans which are linked on the INTRANET version of this site. (There are hard copies held in the Major Incident Cupboards and boxes in the Major Incident Suites, wards, departments and the Emergency Planning Dept.)
Contact Us
Jayne HeaneyHead of Emergency Management St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Nightingale House LG1, Whiston Hospital, L35 5DR Tel: 0151 430 1061 or 077653 78917 Email: jayne.heaney@sthk.nhs.uk | Tracey Mellor Personal Secretary Emergency Management St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Nightingale House LG1, Whiston Hospital, L35 5DR Tel: 0151 430 1393 (Mon - Fri 0930-1330 hrs) Email: tracey.mellor@sthk.nhs.uk |