HUNDREDS more people are surviving serious accidents thanks to the work of Hampshire doctors, new figures have revealed.

Research from the Trauma Audit and Research Network shows survival rates for major trauma injuries, such as car crashes, falls and stabbings, have improved by around 63 per cent in the past six years.

And major trauma centres such as Southampton General Hospital are the key reason, according to health chiefs.

Teams of nurses and doctors from the major trauma team are standing by around the clock, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice to help grievously injured people.

With lightning-quick actions needed, patients are rushed into operating theatres, hooked up to all sorts of monitors and can be given pints of blood in a matter of seconds.

The figures show Wessex Major Trauma Network, based at the General, is in the top five nationwide with increased survival rates of around 25 per cent.

As reported by the Daily Echo, the hospital has dealt with more than 2,600 serious cases since becoming a Major Trauma Centre (MTC) in 2012.

Dr Simon Hughes, director of major trauma at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We knew there would be some improvement nationally but the sheer scale has been staggering. There is no other field of medicine where you would see this sort of improvement.

“To see Wessex in the top five of 23 networks is very pleasing and is down to the huge amount of work done across the network, particularly the ambulance and air ambulance service and all the smaller hospitals in making sure patients are transferred to the major trauma centre rapidly and safely.”

And the improvement in survival rates is also down to the quick work of South Central Ambulance Service ensuring patients get to hospitals in the region as soon as possible.

Mark Ainsworth-Smith, consultant pre-hospital care practitioner and SCAS trauma lead, said: “SCAS is very proud of the pivotal role it plays along with other ambulance services, air ambulances and hospital teams in the success of the trauma networks.

“Taking seriously injured patients directly from the scene of an incident to MTCs has been shown to be beneficial in other countries. Following the hard work and dedication by all of those involved we have confirmation that patients in England are 63 per cent more likely to survive major trauma than they were just six years ago.

“This is an amazing achievement, and one that the ambulance service and air ambulance teams should be very proud of. This data proves that crews are doing the right thing by going straight to dedicated MTCs where that comprehensive and extensive care and treatment can be started as soon as possible.”

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the General, self-funded a near £10m bid to achieve MTC status.

The trauma team is led by consultants, including six anaesthetists, while emergency department consultants are on site until 2am and then on call overnight should any major trauma cases occur.

Southampton General’s helipad takes emergency cases from hospitals in Basingstoke, Dorchester, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Chichester and the Isle of Wight.

Regional Trauma Networks were first set up in 2012 to enable rapid and safe transfer of patients to designated Major Trauma Centres across the country.

The success of the networks has been celebrated nationwide.

Professor Tim Coats, Chairman of TARN and Professor of Emergency Medicine at Leicester University, added: “The injured are now treated by the right clinicians, in the right hospitals, as quickly as possible. Our patients now receive much more rapid care from specialist trauma teams who can identify life-threatening injuries much quicker, access key tests such as CT scans faster and perform life-saving operations earlier.”