NSW trauma services

The trauma services of NSW provide expert care for injured patients, coordinating the multidisciplinary teams and advocating for patients, both within the acute and rehabilitative phases.

Levels of service

• Major trauma services
• Regional trauma services
• Local hospitals

Main article: Major trauma services

A major trauma service (MTS) can provide the full spectrum of care for major and moderately injured patients, from initial resuscitation through to rehabilitation and discharge.

There are currently 7 adult and 3 paediatric designated MTS in NSW:

Adult MTS:

• John Hunter Hospital
• Liverpool Hospital
• Royal North Shore Hospital
• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
• St George Hospital
• St Vincent's Hospital
• Westmead Hospital

Paediatric MTS:

• John Hunter Children's Hospital
• Sydney Children's Hospital
• The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Regional trauma services

Main article: Regional trauma services

A regional trauma service (RTS) can provide all aspects of care to patients with moderate to minor trauma, and definitive care to a limited number of major trauma patients in collaboration with the MTS. A RTS provides initial assessment, stabilisation, definitive care and initiate transfer to an MTS when a patient requires services not available at the RTS.

• Coffs Harbour Base Hospital
• Gosford Hospital
• Lismore Base Hospital
• Nepean Hospital
• Orange Health Service
• Port Macquarie Base Hospital
• Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital
• The Tweed Hospital
• Wagga Wagga Base Hospital
• Wollongong Hospital

Local hospitals are also an important component of the inclusive trauma system, but are not designated trauma services. These local hospitals may be tertiary hospitals, such as Prince of Wales Hospital, while others are hospitals serving predominantly local communities in metropolitan or rural areas. As per the Ambulance Service of NSW Protocol T1, these local hospitals will be bypassed for major trauma. However, they will continue to receive minor to moderate trauma cases via ambulance and occasionally major trauma by private transport.

In rural and remote areas, where the travel times are too great (>1hr) for patients to be transported directly to a RTS, the rural local hospitals will provide initial assessment, resuscitation and early transfer to a RTS or MTS.

NSW Trauma Services Model of Care

The NSW Trauma Services Model of Care document outlines the resourcing and performance requirements of designated trauma services with the goal of reducing unwarranted clinical variation and improved patient outcomes.

• Major trauma services
• Regional trauma services
• Trauma service position roles and responsibilities
• Trauma verification
• Statewide specialist services
• NSW trauma networks
• NSW trauma system
• NSW Trauma Services Plan (Dec 2009)

1. NSW Department of Health (2009). Selected Specialty and Statewide Service Plans: NSW Trauma Services. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. pp. 37.