Information for the public
About this information
About this information
NICE guidelines provide advice on the care and support that should be offered to people who use health and care services.
Major trauma is the term used to describe serious injuries that could cause permanent disability or death. Examples of major trauma include serious injuries to the head, the spine or the chest, injuries that cause a person to lose a lot of blood, and complicated breaks to bones called complex fractures (such as a broken pelvis or a broken bone that is sticking out through the skin).
This information explains the advice we have produced for NHS organisations and staff who provide major trauma services. It sets out the services that people should expect in the NHS when they have a major trauma, including ambulance services taking people to hospital, handing over of care to the hospital trauma team on arrival at hospital, and services for treating major trauma once in hospital.
This information does not cover everything major trauma services do, or how people's injuries should be treated when they have a major trauma. For details of our advice on treating major trauma, complicated breaks to bones (complex fractures), head injuries and spinal injuries see other NICE guidance.
We have also produced information for the public on what adults should be able to expect when they use the NHS, and have more information on the NICE website about using health and social care services.