The Government today approved the designation of the Mater Hospital as the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network and St Vincent’s University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital as the Trauma Units for Dublin.
The decision, announced by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD, is a crucial step in the development of a national trauma system for Ireland. The Major Trauma Centre will provide all major specialist services relevant to the care of major trauma, leading to better outcomes for severely injured patients. The Trauma Units will deliver trauma care for less complex cases or patients with injuries that are considered time critical and where direct transfer to the Major Trauma Centre is not possible within the necessary timeframe.
Minister Donnelly said “Major trauma involves complex injuries that have the potential to be life changing or life ending – on average, around 1,600 patients in Ireland suffer major trauma injuries each year. Studies have consistently shown that severely injured patients are 15-20% less likely to die if admitted to a Major Trauma Centre than if admitted to other hospitals. Concentrating major trauma cases in high volume centres provides the necessary critical mass, clinical throughput, specialised infrastructure and specialist skills under one roof, leading to better outcomes for patients with major trauma.”