Funding doubts for specialist trauma centres

HUNDREDS of patients suffering life-threatening injuries in Yorkshire each year will be given significantly improved care at specialist centres of excellence under new measures to cut the toll of death and disability.

But there remains continued uncertainty over funding for the changes introduced this week which will see most adult trauma casualties taken by ambulance direct for specialist care in Leeds, Hull or Sheffield.

It is estimated 30 extra lives will be saved annually from serious injuries in car and workplace accidents, explosions or from stab and gunshot wounds, while it is hoped to reduce significant long-term disability suffered by 75 per cent of victims.

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The changes could reduce the amount of time people spend in hospital, save money by reducing complications, and also cut regional variations in standards of care.

Three people are seriously hurt in incidents in the region each day, around half following car accidents. It is estimated around 520 patients will be treated for major trauma at the centre in Leeds, 400 in Sheffield and 175 in Hull following the changes.

Under previous arrangements, patients were taken to their nearest hospital but risked delays waiting for tests which could reveal they needed further treatment.

Instead patients injured within 45 minutes’ travel time of a trauma centre will be taken straight there. Those hurt further afield or too unstable for a long journey will be taken to their nearest main casualty unit where they will be stabilised before being taken to the main trauma unit.

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Last year changes in trauma care were made in the north of North Yorkshire where around six patients a week are transferred for specialist treatment in Middlesbrough rather than taken to Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital.

Health chiefs are planning to phase-in the new arrangements to avoid dramatic changes in flows of patients and assess future needs and the full service will be introduced in 2014.

But hospitals are warning they will need additional funding for the costs of taking on specialist staff.

Managers in Leeds claim they will require £5.3m extra for the service, plus further resources to fund rehabilitation care, amid projections which suggest an increase of 68 per cent in numbers of trauma patients being treated at the city’s infirmary.

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A spokesman said: “The services currently provided in Leeds have a strong track record for delivering some of the best clinical outcomes in the country. Seriously injured patients are already brought in by road and helicopter from across the region to benefit from the expertise of surgeons at Leeds General Infirmary.”

Prof Mike Richmond, medical director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said talks about the shape of services and funding arrangements were under way.

He said: “Our trauma and emergency care services already have a strong reputation nationally and we are now provided with a unique opportunity to build on this and develop a leading edge major trauma service providing excellent care to patients who suffer serious injury and give them the very best chances of survival and recovery.”

Steve Jessop, director of nursing for medicine at the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said it expected to deal with an extra 100 patients a year.

“We are continuing to discuss all of these issues with our commissioning partners and those hospitals which will also become trauma units as part of national programme,” he said.