More than 1,600 extra trauma victims alive today says major new study

A researcher from our Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Leicester's Hospitals is co-author of a report showing that the NHS in England has saved an additional 1,600 patients with severe injuries since major trauma centres were established in 2012.

New findings show the creation of major traumas centres has led to the survival of more than 1,600 patients who have suffered some of the most severe and complicated injuries thanks to top teams of surgeons, doctors and clinical staff. Patients also spent fewer days in hospital and had improved quality of life after receiving critical care.

The independent report, which features in the latest issue of EClinicalMedicine, has been compiled by the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) based at the University of Manchester supported by Professor Timothy Coats (pictured), Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Leicester and Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Leicester’s hospitals, as well as academics at the University of Sheffield.

Major trauma centres have played a vital role in saving the lives of many victims of knife, gun and acid attack crimes that have seen a sharp increase in London and other inner city areas in recent months.

Research into the outcomes of more than 110,000 patients admitted to 35 hospitals between 2008 and 2017 represents an increase of nearly a fifth in the odds of survival from severe injury in the five years from 2012.

The study states that its analysis shows the whole system change to major trauma centres can be ‘associated with significant improvements in care and outcomes for patients with severe injury’.