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Published: 2 Jul 2014

New figures published this week show that Regional Trauma Networks are saving lives.

St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust welcomes the new figures, which show that patients in England have a 30 per cent improved chance of surviving severe injuries since the introduction of Regional Trauma Networks.

An independent audit, commissioned by NHS England and produced by the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) has reported approximately 600 more lives are being saved compared to 2012. This equates to an increase of 30 per cent in trauma patient survival.

Major trauma injuries are the biggest cause of death in children and adults under the age of 40 annually. St George’s Hospital is one of twelve adult and children major trauma centres in the UK. It is part of the South West London and Surrey Trauma Network, which is currently one of the top performing trauma networks in the UK.

Before the introduction of the South West London and Surrey Trauma Network St George’s treated 16 trauma cases a month on average. Now as a major trauma centre, it treats closer to 170 cases a month. The official opening of the St George’s helipad in April this year is likely to increase this number further. St George’s has so far been able to receive 64 patients via air ambulance.

Miles Scott, chief executive of St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust said:

“The findings published this week are a great result, clearly demonstrating the excellent work happening within NHS.

“By being part of the South West London and Surrey Trauma Network we ensure that our patients are sent to the hospital best placed to treat them.

“It is this level of teamwork and the dedication of staff to provide excellent care that has undoubtedly resulted in the brilliant findings published today. We hope to see it improve further as the networks develop over time.”

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact our press office on 020 8266 6128 or email our press officer Jay Stone: jay.stone@stgeorges.nhs.uk

  • St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest healthcare providers in the UK. Its main site, St George’s Hospital in Tooting – one of the country’s principal teaching hospitals – is shared with St George’s, University of London, which trains medical students and carries out advanced medical research. As well as acute hospital services, the trust provides a wide variety of specialist and community hospital based care and a full range of community services to children, adults, older people and people with learning disabilities. These services are provided from Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton, 11 health centres and clinics, schools and nurseries, patients’ homes and Wandsworth Prison.
  • St George’s Hospital is currently one of twelve adult and children major trauma centres in the UK, one of eight hyper acute stroke units and one of the biggest and busiest of the seven heart attack centres in the capital.
  • The trust is an accredited centre of excellence for trauma, neurology, cardiology, cancer and blood pressure services and is the national centre for family HIV care and bone marrow transplantation for non-cancer diseases.