The trauma team

The creation of a multi-disciplinary trauma team and the appointment of a trauma team leader is required by the in-hospital trauma service. The multi-specialist trauma team comprises anaesthesiologists, surgeons, radiologists, emergency physicians etc. and takes care of every major trauma patient admitted to hospital. A minimum threshold of basic clinical capabilities needs to be established for each trauma centre. Best practice arrangements in Europe with regard to composition and availability of clinical care are outlined in Appendix 1. A review by the World Health Organization of studies on the effectiveness of trauma teams found that organized trauma teams have been shown to improve the process and outcome of trauma care in high-income countries [6]. For example, in one study on trauma resuscitations, resuscitation time was halved in the presence of an organised trauma team [13].