Scottish Government
Printable version |
Major trauma network
Four hubs could save up to 40 lives a year.
Up to 40 lives a
year could be saved by plans to set up four new specialist major trauma
centres, as part of an enhanced network of care for major trauma patients in
Scotland.
People with serious injuries, such as those who have been in a serious car
accident, or who experience severe head injuries, will be initially cared for
at the centres.
The four bases, which will be operational from 2016, will offer lifesaving
treatment to around 1200 patients per year.
By speeding up access to specialist care and treatment, the changes could save
up to 40 lives each year.
The centres will be located at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Aberdeen Royal
Infirmary, Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and the new Southern General Hospital
in Glasgow.
Health Secretary Alex Neil announced the plans during a visit to the Royal
Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he met with patient Peter McCarron who has
previously experienced major trauma care.
These hubs will form part of a new national major trauma network, which will
mean that where possible, people who experience major trauma will be taken
directly to one of the four specialist centres.
This will ensure they are assessed and treated immediately by a specialist team
with access to the wide range of specialist facilities and treatments
needed.
Local hospitals will continue to care for people with less serious injuries,
such as fractures and minor head injuries, and may still deal with a very small
number of major trauma cases, particularly where patients are unable to reach a
major trauma unit within a reasonable time period.
Local hospitals will also play a key role in the ongoing care and
rehabilitation of patients, helping them to return to care close to home, in
the shortest possible time.
Speaking as he visited the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Alex Neil
said:
“It is important that patients who experience major trauma injuries get
access to specialist care and treatment within the shortest possible
timescale.
“This network of specialist centres will ensure that patients can be
taken directly to the most appropriate place for treatment, and reduce any
delay in receiving the treatment they need.
“By ensuring patients have timely access to the highest level of
expertise and medical facilities, this could save up to 40 lives each year.
“These changes are part of plans to enhance major trauma services across
Scotland and deliver the very best possible outcomes for people who experience
life-threatening injuries.
“The national network will involve the Scottish Ambulance Service,
specialist major trauma centres and local hospitals working together to make a
real difference to the lives of seriously-injured people in Scotland.
Patient Peter McCarron, 53, from Kelty in Fife, experienced major trauma care
following a workplace accident 11 years ago when he was working as a mechanical
fitter.
He suffered multiple traumatic injuries to his spine and pelvis and spent three
months in Queen Margaret Hospital in Fife.
Since undergoing his accident, Peter has used his own experience of major
trauma care as a patient representative on the Scottish Trauma Audit Group
steering group, to help shape these plans.
He said: “The care I received on the day of the accident saved my life.
I've always had the idea that if you were taken to hospital, then you were
going there to be fixed as something in the body was broken.
“I'm glad to say that they were able to fix me, but only to a point.
Because people are all different, then it follows that all traumas are
different. As people are individuals, then each trauma has to be treated to
what the individual needs and this adds to the complex methods needed to ensure
the patient will not only survive but to have a reasonable standard of life
afterwards.
“The amount of different staff from a large variety of departments is
needed to not only help the patient survive in the first instance, but to help
them develop and to cope so that the trauma doesn't then rule their
lives.”
Dr Dave Caesar, Clinical Director of Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian, said:
“The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Emergency Department is the biggest
adult receiving unit in Scotland and thrives on delivering true emergency
critical care to such a high number of patients.
“It is an exciting time for trauma medicine in Edinburgh and we are
pleased to have been selected as one of Scotland’s four major trauma
centres.
“We believe our department offers the opportunity to improve the
practical, clinical and non-technical skills required to manage these
challenging patients.”
Notes To Editors
Trauma is the leading cause of death for people under 40. Each year in Scotland, around 5000 people are seriously injured, with around 1100-1200 cases being defined as ‘major trauma’.
The National
Planning Forum (NPF) has been exploring possible ways to enhance existing major
trauma services in Scotland, and recommended setting up a network of four major
trauma centres.
Major trauma is serious injury and includes such injuries as:
- multiple injuries to different parts of the body
- major head injury
- severe knife and gunshot wounds
- spinal injury
- traumatic injury requiring amputation of a limb
- severe burns