St George’s Hospital will become one of four major trauma centres in London, following an announcement by Healthcare for London.
It means the Tooting hospital will take patients from south west London and Surrey who have suffered serious injuries - including severe head injuries, neck and chest injuries such as stab wounds, limb amputations and paralysis after accidents.
The hospital said the announcement would put the hospital at “the heart” of London’s health service but critics said it would mean longer ambulance journey times.
David Astley, St George’s chief executive, said: “By becoming a major trauma centre St George’s we be at the heart of a clinical network that stretches into the Home Counties serving over two million people. The changes mean that the most serious trauma cases will have rapid access to specialist services helping to improve patient care and save lives.”
But Geoff Martin, of pressure group London Health Emergency, said the announcement would mean longer transportation times for patients in outer London.
He said: “Millions of Londoners on the outskirts of the capital will now face a dangerously long journey into the centre to access emergency trauma care. We think the 45 minute maximum journey time is optimistic and with only one air ambulance this whole scheme represents a massive gamble with life or death services.”
He added Heathrow would be left without a major trauma centre.
“That leaves the UK's major airport dangerously exposed and we are demanding an urgent rethink before these plans are cast in stone,” he said.
There are about 1,600 major trauma incidents in London each year.
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