Staff at Broomfield Hospital's accident and emergency department are being given special training on how to decontaminate victims of any biological, chemical, radioactive or nuclear incident.

Essex Ambulance Service has linked with the hospital to make sure that staff are up to date with the suitable treatment and use of equipment to deal with such casualties.

A total 60 staff at the hospital are taking a course to learn the latest procedure for dealing with patients who arrive at the accident and emergency unit needing decontamination.

The course covers issues including use of personal protection equipment, the calibration and use of respiratory units and erecting and using one of the NHS decontamination shell units.

Mandy Brokenshow, who directs the course and is emergency planning manager for the ambulance service said: "Staff in accident and emergency need to know how to deal with casualties who might have been contaminated in an industrial accident.

"Equally, the training means they are ready should a terrorist attack mean the hospital is dealing with mass casualties.

"One of the toughest things they have to do is put on the personal protection equipment and erect a tent that would allow them to shower the walking wounded, or stretcher casualties to ensure they are fully decontaminated before they go into the hospital building.

"Quite a few of the 60 are doing refresher training, but the national course that we are using is new to some.

"Everyone has worked hard because they know that one day it could be for real."

Published Thursday July 29, 2004