Students and staff to offer medical support at July’s Gibraltar Island Games
Students and staff from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have been chosen to provide specialist medical care at an international sports competition.
The sports therapy and sports medicine cohorts will provide pitch side care and run drop-in treatment centres at the Gibraltar Island Games 2019.
The event will see 1,800 athletes, from countries including Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Rhodes, compete in 12 sports including football, archery, golf and swimming.
Andy Cunningham, Principal Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at UCLan, said: “This is a great opportunity for our students to work at an international multi-disciplinary sports event. They will be able to interact with competitors from a variety of islands which include the Falklands and Bermuda.”
In the lead up to the Games, which takes place between 6 and 12 July, students will be undertaking a series of training workshops which will focus on managing injuries within this environment specifically exertional heat illness. They will also be designing a range of emergency action plans for each of the venues to assist medical services on site.
"This will be the first time that an athletes’ polyclinic will be provided at an Island Games and hopefully continued at future Games as a legacy project."
Andy recently met with the games organiser and Director of the Gibraltar Island Games committee Kim Chang when he was over in Gibraltar to promote the University’s courses. They signed a memorandum of understanding to deliver the range of medical services to support the International Island Games.
Kim said: “The Organising Committee is delighted that UCLan staff and students will be supporting the Games in July. This will be the first time that an athletes’ polyclinic will be provided at an Island Games and hopefully continued at future Games as a legacy project.”