NHS South of England major trauma system
People who suffer serious injury (which is known as major trauma) need the highest quality specialist care to give them the best chances of survival and recovery. From April 2012, arrangements for a regional major trauma system are being implemented to ensure people across the south of England receive world-class major trauma care. The system is made up of five major trauma networksthat will each have a major trauma centre for treating the most seriously injured patients, linked in with a number of local trauma units for treating those people with less serious injuries.
Ambulance crews will use an agreed protocol to take injured people to the hospital most suited to their needs. Patients with a severe injury will be assessed by ambulance staff at the scene of the incident. They will then be taken by ambulance direct to the nearest major trauma centre if it is safe to do so and the patient does not need stabilising. If a patient needs to be stabilised first, he or she will be taken to the nearest trauma unit. For less severe injuries, patients will be taken to the nearest trauma unit.
Patients with less severe injuries, urgent or emergency care needs will continue to be treated by their local A&E, Minor Injuries Unit or GP.
About the system
NHS South of England’s major trauma system has been designed to ensure that seriously injured patients in the region receive world-class specialist care. This is achieved through a network of five major trauma centres which are to be based at:
- Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- North Bristol NHS Trust
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
- University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
- Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (approved as prospective major trauma centre).
Major trauma centres provide specialist teams 24 hours a day seven days a week with emergency access to consultant-delivered care for a wide range of specialist clinical services and expertise. These centres are supported by a number of trauma units, which provide care for all except the most severely injured major trauma patients.
The case for change
There are approximately4,000 major trauma cases each year across the south of England. Whilst this is a relatively small number from a population of 13.4 million, major trauma patients have complex injuries and need expert care to have the best chance of surviving and recovering.
With the roll-out of a major trauma system, there is a much better chance of surviving and recovering from a major trauma injury. Patients have direct access to specialist teams and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure they receive immediate treatment 24/7. The National Audit Office has estimated that between 450 and 600 lives could be saved per year across England through implementation of a major trauma network.
Plans to develop a major trauma system for the south of England were based on evidence which showed that most trauma patients in the region and across the UK receive poor care.The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death in 2007found that over 50% of major trauma patients receive sub-standard care. Furthermore, international comparisons also highlighted deficiencies in major trauma care with little improvement made in the last 20 years. The evidence ultimately shows that dedicated major trauma centres with expert teams of professionals can save more lives.
In response to these findings and a national requirement to implement major trauma systems across England, work has progressed over the past couple of years to establish a network across the south of England.
