St George’s will become one of only 4 major trauma centres in London following an announcement by Healthcare for London today, 20 July 2009.

As a major trauma centre, St George’s will take patients in from south west London and Surrey with serious injuries for immediate access to specialist care and the most appropriate treatment. These include severe head injuries, penetrating injuries to neck and chest such as stab wounds; limb amputations and paralysis after an accident. With around 1,600 major trauma incidents in London a year, fast access to a major trauma centre means that more people who survive serious injury would be able to resume their normal lives.

St George’s will work as part of the South West London and Surrey Trauma Network (SWLSTN). All A&E departments within the network will continue to provide trauma services with St George’s designated as the major trauma centre. The network also encompasses Surrey Primary Care Trust (PCT), six south London PCTs, as well as GPs, ambulance services, local authorities and voluntary organisations.

David Astley, St George’s Chief Executive, said, “By becoming a major trauma centre St George’s we be at the heart of a clinical network that stretches into the Home Counties serving over two million people. The changes mean that the most serious trauma cases will have rapid access to specialist services helping to improve patient care and save lives.”

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact the Communications Unit on 020 8725 5151 or email communications@stgeorges.nhs.uk. Outside working hours, please page us by calling 0844 822 2888, leaving a short message and contact details for pager SG548.

  1. The South West London and Surrey Trauma Network consists of St George’s NHS Healthcare Trust and seven acute trusts (Frimley Park ,St Peter’s, Royal Surrey County, St Helier, Mayday, Kingston, Redhill – East Surrey) and seven PCTs ( Surrey PCT, Kingston PCT, Sutton and Merton PCT, Richmond and Twickenham PCT, Croydon PCT, Lambeth PCT, Wandsworth PCT).
  2. For more information about the public consultation, visit: www.healthcareforlondon.nhs.uk.