Major Trauma

UHNM's Major Trauma Centre was created in 2012 and is one of the best in the country, serving a population of nearly three million people and stretching from Anglesey to the Peak District. The service opened a bespoke Acute Rehabilitation & Trauma Unit​ at Royal Stoke in 2016 and works within the North West Midlands and North Wales Trauma Network, supporting five trauma units and three local emergency hospitals.
When anyone is seriously injured in incidents such as vehicle collisions, falls, or assaults, they are taken either directly to Royal Stoke or transferred from our partner trauma units within the network. They arrive by helicopter or land ambulance and are greeted by a consultant-led trauma team. This includes a consultant in emergency medicine, who works with specialists in orthopaedic and general surgery. They have rapid access to our full range of consultant surgeons and interventional radiologists for management of life threatening bleeding.

Our partner hospitals in Crewe, Shrewsbury and North Wales and our three ambulance services have all contributed to the excellent standard of care. The other important parts of the system, such as the Acute Rehabilitation and Trauma Unit (ARTU)​, mean that we can provide severely injured patients with early specialist rehabilitation in an optimal environment. It can also cater for patients with other serious injuries, particularly when they involve multiple parts of the body.

The major trauma service is the epitome of multi-disciplinary and multi-service working.

We have an excellent 24/7 service in Interventional Radiology, which has changed how we manage care since becoming a major trauma centre. Innovative practices such as chest wall stabilisation and rib fixation have been undertaken by our thoracic surgeons since September 2014, which has led to a marked improvement in patients sustaining multiple rib fracture.