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Scottish Government consider it a priority to design and implement a national inclusive trauma network that will save lives, deliver improved outcomes for injured patients and fully support them to quickly return to normal life. In May last year, Ministers set out this clear commitment which was subsequently included as a key outcome in the Programme for Government in 2016.

A National Trauma Network Implementation Group, chaired by the Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood, has now developed high level plans for a Scottish Trauma Network. The Chief Medical Officer also visited clinicians and other healthcare professionals as well as the Scottish Ambulance Service to help develop a unique model of care that will aim to deliver improved patient outcomes.

The Scottish Trauma Network’s vision is ‘Saving lives. Giving life back’ and aims to improve trauma patient care throughout the care pathway, from prevention through to rehabilitation. The Network will involve hospitals across Scotland, including four major trauma centres (MTC) in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh, working together across traditional geographic boundaries to realise this vision.

The 4 MTCs are vital components of the new Scottish Trauma Network. They will deal with our most severely injured patients and will be equipped to ensure patents have the best chance of a speedy recovery from their injuries. However this new network is not just about the four major trauma centres. It is about delivering a joined up network approach that will enhance trauma care across Scotland and improve patient outcomes. This will involve the Scottish Ambulance Service and existing trauma services in hospitals across Scotland working together with the 4 trauma MTCs to provide coordinated care and support to our most seriously injured patients.

Clear strategic direction and assurance will be provided by a new national STN Steering Group. The STN Steering Group will work collaboratively to prioritise investment in trauma services on a national basis, to implement a unique model of trauma care for NHS Scotland.

It is extremely important that we get implementation of the model right. The 4 MTCs and their trauma regions are expected to provide the new STN steering group with their plans on how they will meet the trauma Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by October 2017. These plans will inform the development of a clear phased national implementation plan by December 2017. Given the scale and complexity of the changes required to deliver the network, we should recognise that it will take at least 3 years to fully implement it.

In the interim work will focus on delivering a series of key actions for 2017-18 and beyond as set out in the CMO’s report ‘Saving Lives. Giving Life Back’;

We are allocating an extra £5 million in 2017-18 to begin to accelerate these improvements, and we will be putting further, significant investment in as we continue to build and fully establish the network over the next few years. The level of investment required in future years will be guided by the STN Steering Group.

The STN Steering Group will be hosted by National Services Division (NSD). Scottish Government will provide NSD with £225,000 a year for at least the next
3 years to establish the Group and to recruit and retain dedicated network staff.

Implementation of the new Scottish Trauma Network should be viewed within the context Health and Social Care Delivery Plan, launched on 19 December. The proposed STN model and the CMO’s report are available on the STN website at: http://www.traumacare.scot/

I expect to be able to provide a further update on progress with the Scottish Trauma Network to Parliament in October.