NHS saves lives of hundreds more trauma victims just two years after changes to care

NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has this week applauded “a major NHS success story” as new figures show about 600 more patients are surviving major trauma since the introduction of Major Trauma Networks in April 2012.

An independent audit, commissioned by NHS England and produced by the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN), shows that patients in England now have a 30% improved chance of surviving severe injuries – and this all starts with the ambulance service at the scene.

This equates to 600 more lives saved than in 2012, the audit suggests; the 16,000 life-threatening major traumas are the biggest cause of death in children and adults under the age of 40 annually, and currently each year about 3,000 people reach hospital alive but die of their injuries.

In a speech to Age UK in London on Tuesday (1^st July) Mr Stevens said: “This is a major success story – more people are surviving serious injuries because they are taken straight to specialist trauma teams who identify life-threatening problems quicker and perform life-saving operations earlier”.

The Regional Trauma Networks were developed by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals including paramedics and physiotherapists to make sure patients get the best possible care from the scene of an accident to their rehabilitation at home. As we know, the system makes the difference between life and death.

Remember, there are dedicated trauma care pages on East24 where you can refresh your knowledge and download the trauma triage tool.