New Leeside trauma centre
A new major trauma centre has been launched at a Cork hospital in a significant step forward for the National Trauma Strategy.
The new centre at CUH and will provide specialist care to the most severely injured patients in the southern region.
The centre is 1 of 2 major trauma centres (MTCs) to be launched this week by an Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD. The second centre is located at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin.
The MTCs will provide trauma care for Ireland’s Central Trauma Network and the South Trauma Network. In addition to the launch of the MTCs, it was also announced that a network of trauma units will be developed in both trauma networks to deliver more general care to the majority of patients who do not need the specialist expertise of an MTC.
The vision for a national trauma is to prevent unnecessary deaths, to reduce disabilities, and to significantly improve the patient’s chances of attaining the fullest possible recovery.
Minister Donnelly welcomed the opening of the new MTCs, saying: “Evidence continues to show that receiving the right care, at the right time, in the right place significantly reduces the risk of severe disability and death for patients with severe trauma.
“Evidence shows that severely injured patients are less likely to die if admitted to a major trauma centre than if admitted to other hospitals.”
The MTC at CUH will now begin to support hospitals across the South Trauma Network accepting the transfer of severely injured patients from other networked hospitals.
It is forecast that an additional 380 trauma patients will be managed at CUH once the Trauma System is fully established.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said: “As the trauma system matures in the coming years the MTCs will work with other providers in their networks, such as trauma units, injury units and the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to standardise the provision of trauma care pathways.”
HSE CEO, Bernard Gloster, added: “The networks supported by the major trauma centres will greatly improve their ability to respond to people who need trauma care, leading to the best possible outcomes.”