The Network Co-ordination Service (NCS) aims to streamline referrals, provide decision support, track patient journeys and improve the tempo of decision making.

Please contact the NCS 24-hours-a-day for:

• highlighting suspected major trauma patients in the pre-hospital phase
• pre-alerting any emergency department (ED) about a candidate major trauma patient (triage tool positive)
• clinical decision support regarding clinical care and transfer decision making for trauma patients who arrive in an east of England emergency department
• requesting transfer or specialist referral for any trauma patient
• contacting the Trauma Network rehabilitation co-ordinator (Monday to Friday 09:00–17:30)
• arranging the transfer of any trauma patient from outside the east of England who requires transfer back into an east of England hospital

When you call the NCS on 0300 330 3999, the phone is initially answered by an auto-agent who will guide you through the options. An NCS call-handler will then ask a series of questions related to your call.

→ Section 4.b

Trauma triage tool

For ambulance and other pre-hospital personnel pre-alerting an ED, be prepared to provide:

• your call-sign
• the approximate age of the patient
• the gender of the patient
• the destination emergency department (ED)

No other details are required. The NCS staff will then transfer your call as quickly as possible to the destination ED red-phone and you should be prepared to provide the ATMISTER pre-alert at that stage. Please note that all calls are timed and recorded.

→ Section 4.c

Pre-alerting the hospital

For control room or critical care desk staff notifying NCS of a trauma triage tool result, please be prepared to provide:

• the incident CAD reference number
• the incident origin time
• the incident location
• the MPDS code
• the call-sign of the crew at the scene
• the approximate age of the patient
• the gender of the patient
• the name of the patient if known
• whether an enhanced care team (ECT) has been deployed (and which one)
• the likely destination emergency department (ED)

For hospital personnel requesting patient transfer or clinical advice, the call will be transferred to the duty NCS consultant.

Please be prepared to discuss your case and have to hand the notes and any relevant results from investigations. Please also ensure that:

• the responsible consultant in the trauma unit (TU) is aware of the transfer request
• that all images have been transferred on the image link system (all CT and plain films)
• any radiographic reports have been printed and can be e-mailed, faxed or otherwise transferred on request

Please provide feedback to:

Trauma Network
Co-ordination Service
Box 93
Cambridge University
Hospitals
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ

Tel:
0300 330 3999