BMJ  2008;336:1205 (31 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.a168

Letters

Blunt abdominal trauma

Trauma services must improve

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The proposed algorithm in Jansen et al’s review reiterates old dogma1 2 and contributes to the UK having a higher trauma death rate than most developed countries. The authors failed to discuss why and how trauma services need to improve. The incidence of major trauma is relatively low in the UK and in the absence of coordinated trauma service provision the NHS response is often enthusiastic but disorganised.

A third of the 9000-11 000 deaths from trauma in the UK each year are avoidable.3 Many patients are left with long term disability. This situation has not improved since the late 1980s, despite advances in this area.

Clinical response services should be organised from the top down. The authors missed the point when quoting statistics from the NCEPOD report on the number of junior doctors who are first attenders at polytrauma cases.1 The report was calling for a more experienced first response.

. . . [Full text of this article]

David O Kessel, consultant vascular radiologist, Anthony A Nicholson, consultant vascular radiologist and clinical director

1 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF

david.kessel@leedsth.nhs.uk


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  • Delamothe, T. (2008). A centrally funded health service, free at the point of delivery. BMJ 336: 1410-1412 [Full text]  

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