No “definitive model” has been agreed for a clinical pathway for head-injured patients in the new major trauma centre (MTC) at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin. Work on the issue is continuing between the Mater and Beaumont Hospital, this newspaper has been told.
Last year clinical representatives from the Mater and Beaumont considered “a number of options for the delivery of the service to head-injured patients”, a HSE spokesperson told the Medical Independent.
While a “definitive model was not finalised, it was agreed that the Mater Hospital and Beaumont Hospital would continue to work collaboratively in the management of patients with head injuries”.
The spokesperson added: “The Mater Hospital has recently appointed two consultant neurosurgeons and it has plans to recruit a consultant in intensive care medicine to support this service. These consultants will continue to work with Beaumont Hospital in the development of clinical pathways for head-injured patients.”
The national neurosurgical centre is based at Beaumont. The Mater was designated as the MTC for the central trauma network in April 2021.
“The HSE has provided annual funding to appoint 17 consultants for the MTC in Dublin, 10 of these posts are now in place, two appointments have confirmed start dates, and five posts are at an advanced stage of recruitment,” continued the HSE’s spokesperson.
“It will take a number of years for the Mater Hospital to create the total capacity that will be required to manage the full increased patient volume expected from across the central trauma network with significant capital developments underway and planned.”
The hospital commenced providing major trauma services for its existing catchment area in September 2022. It is planned to extend its service to accept secondary transfers of major trauma patients from within the central trauma network in the second quarter of this year.
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