The Severn Major Trauma ODN was set up between 2010 and 2012 and launched in April 2012 along with over 20 other trauma networks in England. The purpose of the Networks was to improve the outcomes from major trauma. A number of national reports had demonstrated that outcomes could be improved and had made recommendations about how this could be achieved. The structure, function and service specification for the networks were based on successful systems elsewhere and the pilot networks in the UK.

The network consists of an adult Major Trauma Centre (MTC) which is at Southmead Hospital and six Trauma Units (TUs) at Gloucester Royal Hospital (Gloucester), Royal United Hospital (Bath), University Hospitals Bristol (Bristol Royal Infirmary), Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton), Yeovil District Hospital (Yeovil) and Great Western Hospital (Swindon). There are also two Local Emergency Hospitals in the network in Cheltenham and Weston super Mare. There is a Paediatric Major Trauma Centre based at Bristol Children’s Hospital that receives injured children from both Severn Major Trauma Network and Peninsula Major Trauma Network to the South.

The network is responsible for improving care in the whole patient pathway – from point of injury to rehabilitation. For this reason pre-hospital services – South Western Ambulance Service Trust and the air ambulances serving the region and rehabilitation and specialist rehabilitation (providing rehabilitation for less common injuries such as spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury) are also key parts of our network.

All hospitals in the network contribute mandatory comprehensive patient and system performance data to the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) which is one of the best and most established trauma registries in the world. TARN provides us with regular reports on outcomes, network performance and benchmarks the performance of all UK hospitals that receive trauma patients. The data also ensures that we meet the National Service Specification for major trauma. There is a national peer review process for major trauma to ensure that we deliver high quality care.

Since the network was established it has delivered major changes in the way we treat major trauma in the South West. Patients are transferred rapidly for specialised consultant delivered care and moved back to a hospital close to home as soon as possible. Every aspect of care is measured and a continuous process of quality improvement is in place. Since launch in 2012 the network has demonstrated a 20% reduction in the mortality from major trauma.