Prehospital care and transport costs of severely injured children in NSW Australia.

Background: Injury is the leading cause of childhood death and disability in Australia. Prehospital emergency services in New South Wales (NSW) are provided by NSW Ambulance. The incidence, pre-hospital care provided and outcomes of children suffering major injury in NSW has not previously been described.

Toxicological analysis of serious drug-related harm among electronic dance music festival attendees in New South Wales, Australia: A consecutive case series.

Background: A substantial increase in drug-related harm was observed during the 2018-2019 music festival season in New South Wales, Australia, including the deaths of five young people. As part of a rapid public health response, the New South Wales Ministry of Health referred samples from patients with suspected severe drug-related illness for forensic toxicological testing to identify the type and concentration of substances associated with the presentations.

Methods: Cases were identified through a variety of active and passive surveillance systems, and selected consecutively based on indicators of clinical severity.

Determining the priorities for change in paediatric trauma care delivery in NSW, Australia.

Background: Injury remains the leading cause of death and disability for Australian children. There is known variability in the quality of care delivered to injured children in Australia. This study prioritises recommendations developed from an expert review of paediatric trauma cases, for implementation with the aim of improving health service delivery to children sustaining severe injury.

Identifying areas for improvement in paediatric trauma care in NSW Australia using a clinical, system and human factors peer-review tool.

Background: There is known variability in the quality of care delivered to injured children. Identifying where care improvement can be made is critical. This study aimed to review paediatric trauma cases across the most populous Australian State to identify factors contributing to clinical incidents.

Pre-hospital and retrieval medicine: Clinical governance and workforce models.

Pre-hospital and retrieval medicine (PHARM) has developed significantly in the past decade. This perspective article proposes that PHARM should develop with a clear focus on contemporary health governance principles, and that its workforce and models of care adopt modern interdisciplinary approaches. Many of the older systems of managing clinical standards, and outdated cultural approaches to professional 'turf', workforce and scope of practice have little place in high-performance organisations.

Development of the major trauma case review tool.

Background: As many as half of all patients with major traumatic injuries do not receive the recommended care, with variance in preventable mortality reported across the globe. This variance highlights the need for a comprehensive process for monitoring and reviewing patient care, central to which is a consistent peer-review process that includes trauma system safety and human factors. There is no published, evidence-informed standardised tool that considers these factors for use in adult or paediatric trauma case peer-review.

Paediatric trauma systems and their impact on the health outcomes of severely injured children: protocol for a mixed methods cohort study.

Background: Injury is a leading cause of death and disability for children. Regionalised trauma systems have improved outcomes for severely injured adults, however the impact of adult orientated trauma systems on the outcomes of severely injured children remains unclear. The objective of this study is to review the processes of care and describe the impacts of a regionalised trauma system on the outcomes of severely injured children.

An investigation into the cost, coverage and activities of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Background And Context: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) have been incorporated into modern health systems for their speed and coverage. In the state of New South Wales (NSW), nine HEMS operate from various locations around the state and currently there is no clear picture of their resource implications. The aim of this study was to assess the cost of HEMS in NSW and investigate the factors linked with the variation in the costs, coverage and activities of HEMS.

Logistics and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in medical retrieval.

Objective: This article reviews the logistics and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) medical retrieval in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods: We describe the logistics involved in ECMO road and rotary-wing retrieval by a multidisciplinary team during the H1N1 influenza epidemic in winter 2009 (i.e.

The accuracy of external blood loss estimation by ambulance and hospital personnel.

Objective: To determine if emergency personnel, either ambulance or hospital based, can estimate the volume of external blood loss accurately enough to be of potential clinical use in guiding fluid resuscitation.

Methods: A total of 61 ambulance and 35 hospital personnel viewed nine scenarios consisting of volumes of blood (100 mL, 400 mL and 700 mL) spilt onto three surfaces--carpet, vinyl and a clothed manikin. They were asked to estimate the blood loss in each case.