University bus donation

Each year third year medical students get to take part in an innovative interdisciplinary learning event which simulates a ‘Major Incident’ – in 2025 this will focus on a bus crash.

The accident simulation provides students with a broad understanding of managing major trauma events, and allows them to work collaboratively with emergency services as well as other parties in a situation as close to real life as possible.

The first major incident exercise involved a simulation of a structural collapse in a building. In 2018 and 2019 it evolved to a plane crash, and a fire on a boat in a harbour.

Following Covid, the major incident simulated road traffic accident, which was repeated in 2023 but with 30% more students. In 2024 a rail accident was simulated and a road crash involving a car and a minibus. Following this donation in May 2025 the next simulation will involve a bus crash.

Donors of the bus Geoff Ripley & Son are a government authorised treatment facility for the dismantling of buses that are uneconomical to repair and when the major incident training came to their attention they offered to donate a Alexander Dennis Enviro200 bus. Chartwell Bus Sales have arranged for the bus towed to the University.

Prof Joanne Selway, who organises the major incident each year said: “We are unique amongst medical schools in holding an training event on this scale, with such a realistic set-up. It’s such a good learning experience for the students and a chance for them to interact with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police and Milton Keynes City Council and other students.”

‘The Major Incident’ has been commended by the General Medical Council for promoting inter-professional education to medical students, and provides educational opportunities for other students from the University of Buckingham and beyond.

Students studying Content Creation, Digital Media and Journalism also at The University of Buckingham cover the event as reporters.