Multi-agency emergency services exercise successfully delivered at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital hosted a large scale multi-agency emergency services exercise on Saturday 28 February 2026.
The event brought together partners from across the region to test coordinated responses to a complex hospital incident.
The scenario simulated a fire in a store room on Ward 6B, which accelerated rapidly and displayed highly unusual explosive type behaviour. The exercise provided an important opportunity for all organisations involved to test their plans, strengthen joint working arrangements and identify opportunities for improvement.
The event was supported by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS), Avon Fire and Rescue Service, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust's (SWASFT) Hazardous Area Response Team, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHFT), Gloucestershire Managed Services (GMS), ward staff from 6A, 5A and 5B, representatives from the Cheltenham and Gloucester Casualties Union and the Gloucestershire Local Resilience Forum.
Many hospital staff, patients and visitors observed the exercise and gave highly positive feedback throughout the day. The involvement of so many partners reflects a shared commitment to preparedness, safety and continuous improvement.
GMS Estates and Facilities teams played an essential role in the planning and safe delivery of the exercise, working closely with clinical colleagues and emergency service partners to ensure the hospital environment was fully understood and appropriately managed. Their knowledge of the site, systems and infrastructure was instrumental in ensuring the scenario could be run safely without affecting patient care, while still providing a realistic and challenging training opportunity for all those taking part.
“This exercise highlights the strength of our partnerships and the commitment of the clinical staff who volunteered their time to take part. Their willingness to engage so fully in a challenging scenario has given us invaluable insight into how real events might unfold on a busy ward. I am hugely grateful to every member of staff who supported the day, as the learning gained will directly strengthen clinical preparedness and confidence."
Al Sheward, Trust Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer
Al continues, "Taking part in exercises like this helps teams build resilience, refine their decision-making under pressure and deepen their understanding of how emergency responses work in practice. It is an excellent example of how training together, across specialties and organisations, leads to safer care for the people who rely on our hospitals.”
Councillor Lisa Spivey, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said, “Exercises like this are vital in making sure our emergency services and partners are ready to respond quickly and effectively when it really matters. Bringing fire, ambulance, hospital teams and other agencies together in a realistic setting strengthens the relationships we rely on during real incidents. It allows everyone to test plans, understand each other’s roles and learn from working side by side. The learning from this exercise will help improve safety, decision‑making and coordination across the system. I want to thank everyone involved for their professionalism and commitment to keeping patients, staff and the wider community safe.”
Mike Gregson, GMS Managing Director, said, “This multi-agency exercise has demonstrated the professionalism, collaboration and dedication of everyone involved, and I want to extend particular thanks to our Estates and Facilities teams for the outstanding work they put into making it possible. Ensuring the safety of our patients, staff and the wider community is at the heart of everything we do, and exercises like this allow us to test our systems in a controlled but realistic environment. The commitment shown by our teams and our emergency service partners is something we should all be incredibly proud of.”
Additional thanks are extended to the GHFT nurse volunteer who played out the evacuation process, and to the Gloucestershire Local Resilience Partnership who simulated a multiagency ‘Operation Link’ and sponsored the event with refreshments and lunch provisions.
A full multi-agency debrief involving GHFT, GFRS, SWASFT and GMS will take place in the coming weeks. Further information, including key outcomes and lessons learned, will be shared once the debrief process is complete.
This successful exercise demonstrates the strength of partnership working across Gloucestershire’s emergency services and healthcare teams. Regular training like this ensures organisations are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to major incidents, helping to protect patients, staff and the wider community.
We would like to thank everyone involved for their professionalism, collaboration and commitment to keeping Gloucestershire safe.