The National Trauma Strategy recommends the introduction of an inclusive trauma system for Ireland with one Major Trauma Centre based in Dublin servicing the Central Trauma Network and another based in Cork University Hospital servicing the South Trauma Network. It further recommends that each of these Major Trauma Centres will be linked to several Trauma Units throughout the country and that Dublin should have a maximum of two Trauma Units, in addition to the Major Trauma Centre.
Notes
1. The Report of the Trauma Steering Group; A Trauma System for Ireland (the National Trauma Strategy) was approved by Government in February 2018. The National Trauma Strategy recommends the introduction of an inclusive trauma system for Ireland.
2. The National Trauma Strategy sets out how adult trauma services will be delivered by two regional networks (Central and Southern Trauma Networks), each with a Major Trauma Centre, with one based in Dublin and another based in Cork University Hospital, that will provide the highest level of specialist trauma care to the most severely injured patients on a single hospital site.
3. Within each network, a number of Trauma Units will deliver more general trauma care to the majority of patients who do not need the specialist expertise of a Major Trauma Centre.
The process to designate the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network and the Dublin Trauma Units
4. To ensure a robust designation process, the HSE established a Trauma Review Implementation Group (TRIG) comprising senior clinical and managerial representation. The TRIG prepared a designation framework providing detailed, specific and evidence-based guidance against which hospitals could be assessed. This framework was subject to an eight-week formal public consultation.
5. An Independent Assessment Panel, comprised of national and international experts, was appointed to provide advice on the preferred location of the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network and the number and location of Dublin Trauma Unit(s), using the agreed designation framework.
6. The Panel advised that the Mater Hospital be designated as the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network and that both St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital be designated as Trauma Units for Dublin. The HSE Board subsequently made this recommendation to the Minister for Health.
Implementation
7. The National Clinical Lead, working with sponsors from across the healthcare system, the Central Trauma Network Clinical Lead and the management teams of the hospitals, will oversee the establishment of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital as the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network and St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital as Trauma Units for Dublin .
8. The implementation of the trauma system will occur over three phases. Phase One will see the fundamentals of a trauma system in place for Ireland. This will see the most injured patients from the Central Trauma Network accessing the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital either directly or via secondary transfer.
9. Phase Two will see the development of other components of the trauma networks, including the development of major trauma services at Cork University Hospital, the Major Trauma Centre for the South Trauma Network and at the Trauma Unit with Specialist Services (TUSS) at University Hospital Galway, and the establishment of trauma services at the first of several Trauma Units nationwide.
10. Funding of €5.7 million has been provided in Budget 2021 to allow for the commencement of Phase 1 of the development of the Major Trauma Centre for the Central Trauma Network. This funding will enable the establishment of a number of vital services at the Major Trauma Centre. Once established, it is planned that the Centre will formally commence services early in 2022.
11. Phase Three will see the maturation of the trauma system towards its final state with the continued development of all services established in Phases One and Two.