Trauma

Key points

These guidelines are recommended for assessing and managing major trauma and specific adult trauma presentations. Major trauma referral guidelines are also available within these guidelines.

For adult patients meeting major trauma transfer criteria (see 'inter-hospital Major trauma transfer' rapid reference), Adult Retrieval Victoria should be contacted within 60 minutes of their arrival to hospital.

ARV 1300 368 661

For paediatric patients meeting major trauma transfer criteria, paediatric emergency retrieval (PIPER) should be contacted within 60 minutes of their arrival to hospital.

PIPER 1300 137 650

Patients with the following specific injuries, who meet major trauma transfer criteria, should be referred to the relevant specialised unit:

spinal trauma
burns
traumatic brain injury
obstetric and paediatric trauma.

(See specific guideline related to the injury.)

Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible.

We recommend using the Trauma Victoria Major Trauma Guidelines

The images below are linked to easy-to-follow pathways of care for emergency patients presenting with trauma.

You can also download our patient fact sheets on a range of emergency conditions below.