Major trauma centre

{{Short description|British specialist healthcare unit}}

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A major trauma centre (MTC) is a specialist unit within the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, set up to provide specialised trauma care and rehabilitation. They are usually found within larger hospitals in major cities which have the necessary infrastructure and staff to deal with major trauma cases.

MTCs provide emergency access to life and limb saving consultant-led care in a wide range of specialisms including anaesthetics, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, geriatrics, and emergency medicine. All MTCs have an on-site CT scanner and emergency operating theatres on standby to perform immediate, life-saving surgery. All MTCs also provide consultant-led rehabilitation care, to optimise recovery at the earliest opportunity.

Major trauma is described as life-altering injury with risk of death or disability.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/services/departments/general-surgery/trauma/q-and-a.aspx|title=Major Trauma Centre: Questions and Answers |work=Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust|accessdate=21 November 2018}}

The first major trauma centre opened in England in 2012, with Scotland following in 2018, and in the same year plans were announced for the first MTC in Wales.{{cite web |title=Cardiff major trauma centre to go ahead |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43583600 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=29 March 2018}}