The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) has welcomed the findings of an independent audit that shows 20 per cent more patients are now surviving severe trauma since the introduction of Major Trauma Networks in 2010.
Currently across the UK 35 rotary air ambulances attend on average 70 incidents a day, some requiring the specialist urgent care to life threatening and limiting trauma at one of the Major Trauma Centres. Patients who have been involved in a serious road traffic incident, injury at work (farm, construction,etc.), assault or other critical injuries now have a 20% greater chance of survival, results from the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) national audit show.
These patients first receive care at the point of the incident through a network of highly trained Pre-Hospital Care Doctors or Critical Care Paramedics delivered to scene by an air ambulance in support of the ambulance service. These expert clinicians stabilise the patient and then convey them to the nearest Major Trauma Centre.
GWAAC, providers of an air ambulance service for the 2.1m people of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire and parts of West Wiltshire, have always been keen to emphasise that through the pre-hospital care delivered by its crew, one patient in five – a patient otherwise expected to die – survives, based on the research undertaken by Professor Jonathan Benger in 2011.
Clive Dickin, National Director of the Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) said: “This news gives real encouragement to the victims of major trauma which is one of the largest causes of death in the under 50’s. To see a 20% increase in survival rates, through the centralisation of skills in the Major Trauma Network aligned with the highly focused skills of the ambulance services and the air ambulance network is amazing.”
John Christensen, Chief Executive of GWAAC said: “We are delighted that the findings of TARN’s national audit reinforce the importance of the work that we do as a charity.”
“Without the support of the people of our region, we would not be able to continue operating and helping to save lives.”
