Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Health the reason only two national trauma centres have been identified for the delivery of trauma treatment in the report of the trauma steering group, A Trauma System for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29181/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In an inclusive Trauma System, as recommended for Ireland by the Trauma Steering Group, the trauma care pathway is not organised around individual institutions but in the context of networked ones whereby all acute hospitals participate – each has a role as either a Major Trauma Centre, Trauma Unit with Specialist Services, Trauma Unit, Local Emergency Hospital or Injury Unit.

In regard to the number of regions/networks, this is based on international evidence of the required volumes. By international standards, with a population of 4.7 million and an estimated 1,600 major trauma cases per year, it would be reasonable to expect that Ireland would have one Trauma Network, with one Major Trauma Centre linked to a number of Trauma Units. The recommendation for two networks is based on the geographical spread of the population and current hospital configuration.

There will be one designated Major Trauma Centre in each of these networks, which should treat a minimum number of major trauma patients in order to maintain a critical mass of specialist expertise. The networks will also include a number of other Trauma Units and, in addition, a Trauma Unit with Specialist Services at Galway University Hospital, which will also deal with trauma cases.

The overall aim of Ireland's trauma system is to address the needs of all injured patients wherever they are injured, and wherever they receive care.