Be Ready When It Matters Most: The STAT Course from the University of Lancashire

Be Ready When It Matters Most: The STAT Course from the University of Lancashire

When a patient suddenly becomes seriously unwell in a rural general practice or community setting, every minute can feel like an hour. These High Acuity, Low Occurrence (HALO) events — such as cardiac arrest, severe asthma, sepsis, or major trauma — are thankfully rare, but when they do happen, they can be among the most stressful moments for any practice team.

Ambulance response times in rural areas can be long, and teams are often left managing an acutely unwell patient for far longer than they might expect. The experience can be both emotionally draining and professionally daunting, especially for staff who rarely encounter such situations.

That’s why the University of Lancashire has developed the new Stabilisation and Treatment Awaiting Transfer (STAT) course — a 10–12-week blended learning programme designed specifically to help rural and community healthcare teams feel more confident, more capable, and more connected when faced with urgent care emergencies.

Building confidence for the first 90 minutes

STAT focuses on the vital period before recognising an urgent or life-threatening condition and the arrival of advanced help. The course provides participants with a practical “toolkit” to help manage the first 90 minutes of care, drawing on evidence-based approaches used across urgent and pre-hospital medicine.

It also explores the often-overlooked team dynamics of emergency care in primary and community settings — including communication, leadership, role allocation, and emotional resilience. As course lead Dr Tim Sanders, a GP and Lecturer in Urgent and Unscheduled Care at the University of Lancashire, explains:

“We know these situations can be incredibly stressful, especially when help is delayed. STAT is about giving teams both the skills and the mindset to provide safe, effective care during that waiting period — and to know where to turn for support while they’re doing it.”

Blended learning for busy clinicians

STAT is a blended course combining online and face-to-face learning, making the best use of available technology to provide flexible study options that fit around busy clinical schedules. It begins with an introductory webinar to meet, greet, and make sure you set off in the right direction, followed by a suite of on-demand video modules through the University’s online learning environment. These cover both adult and paediatric emergency care, clinical management, communication strategies, and real-world case reflections.

The online phase is complemented by an exciting, interactive block of face-to-face learning on campus. This immersive three-day experience prioritises content that really benefits from being together in person — including hands-on practical scenarios, round-table case discussions, and opportunities to practise and refine key knowledge and skills in the University’s state-of-the-art simulation suite. The emphasis is on realism, teamwork, and practical decision-making under pressure.

Designed by experts, grounded in reality

STAT has been created by clinicians and educators with extensive experience in rural urgent care, pre-hospital medicine, and medical education. It is particularly relevant for GPs, nurse practitioners, paramedics, and any healthcare professionals working in isolated or resource-limited settings.

The aim is simple: to ensure that when the next HALO event occurs, you feel equipped — not overwhelmed.

Find out more

Full details, including upcoming course dates and registration information, are available on the University of Lancashire website:

-> Stabilisation and Treatment Awaiting Transfer (STAT) course

Places are strictly limited — book today to guarantee your place!