Our Major Trauma Service provides specialist assessment, resuscitation, surgery and rehabilitation for people with life‑threatening or complex injuries across two sites:
Tunbridge Wells Hospital (Trauma Unit): major trauma service and critical care for seriously injured patients.
Maidstone Hospital (Local Emergency Hospital): emergency assessment, stabilisation and urgent trauma care; patients requiring highly specialist interventions may be transferred to the Trauma Unit or a regional Major Trauma Centre.
How the service works
- Single, coordinated pathway across both sites with the same consultant-led clinical governance, shared protocols and multidisciplinary rehabilitation planning.
- Ambulance and triage: Ambulance crews convey patients to the most appropriate site depending on injury severity, location and specialist needs.
- Assessment and stabilisation: Rapid team assessment (trauma team, emergency medicine, anaesthetics) with immediate imaging, blood tests and life‑saving interventions.
- Specialist care: Orthopaedics, surgery, anaesthetics, critical care and ENT input as required. Where specialist surgery is unavailable on site, timely transfer to a regional Major Trauma Centre is arranged.
Transfers between sites: If your care is best provided at the other trust site or a regional centre, we will explain the reasons, process and expected timing and keep you and your family informed.
Patient pathway and what to expect
- On arrival: Rapid assessment, stabilisation, pain control and imaging.
- Inpatient care: Care led by a named consultant. You will be seen by physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pain team, dietetics and other specialists as needed.
- Critical care: Patients who need organ support are cared for in our high‑dependency or critical care units.
- Rehabilitation: Early, goal‑directed rehabilitation begins in hospital. We create an individualised plan and arrange ongoing therapy (inpatient, outpatient or community) and any equipment or home adaptations.
- Discharge and follow-up: Discharge planning starts early; you will receive a written plan, medication info, follow-up appointments and contact numbers for advice.
Facilities and practical information
Visiting: Visiting restrictions may apply in critical care and during acute treatment. Please check with the ward team. One or two close family members may be prioritised for updates.
Refreshments, WiFi and parking: Standard hospital facilities available including retail and catering options; ask staff for local details and concessions for long‑term stays.
Valuables: Leave valuables at home where possible; ask about secure storage if needed.
What to bring: Medication list, glasses, hearing aids, comfortable clothing, contact details for next-of-kin.
If you require emergency help after discharge: contact the number given at discharge, your GP, NHS 111, or attend A&E.
Feedback
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