Merseyside regional major trauma centres revealed

People who have suffered serious injury in Merseyside and Cheshire will soon be treated at one of three Liverpool hospitals, it has been revealed.

Patients suffering from major trauma will be taken to the Royal Liverpool, Broadgreen or Aintree hospitals.

The plans form part of a new major trauma collaborative set up to give patients a better chance of recovery.

A National Audit Office report found many deaths from serious injuries could be avoided if care was improved.

'Saving lives'

Professor Stephen Singleton, Medical Director, NHS North of England, said: "The overriding objective of this new approach is to ensure that more people can survive a major trauma and that the standards and quality of care are consistent across the country.

"I am confident that the collaboration between these three hospitals trusts, each contributing different clinical strengths and experience, will create an excellent major trauma service which saves lives and improves outcomes for the most seriously injured patients."

The news was confirmed in a statement released jointly by NHS Merseyside, Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust.

It said all three major trauma centres would be able to treat patients with any type of injury in any combination.

Examples of such patients are those who have suffered traumatic amputation of one or more limbs, patients with a serious head injury and patients who have suffered a number of injures such as a combination of abdominal and chest injuries.

Major trauma patients are currently taken to local emergency departments.

Under the new plans, people with head injuries, for example, which make up half of all trauma cases, will be taken to the Walton Centre at University Hospital Aintree for specialist care.

The collaboration will be up and running by April.