In reply: In our study,1 we allocated the numbers and type of trauma centres according to New South Wales Department of Health terminology and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trauma Verification Committee model resource criteria. The latter reflected the resource availability of 24-hour, 7-day per week specialty services such as plastic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and neurosurgery at those centres during the study period,2,3 as outlined in Box 1 of the original manuscript. Since publication of the article, we have found further NSW Health documentation that designates Nepean, Gosford and Wollongong Hospitals as regional trauma centres.4
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- 1. Curtis KA, Mitchell RJ, Chong SS, et al. Injury trends and mortality in adult patients with major trauma in New South Wales. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 233-237.
- 2. Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The Australasian trauma verification program manual. Melbourne: RACS, 2009.
- 3. NSW Department of Health, Statewide Services Development Branch. Selected specialty and statewide service plans, number 6: NSW trauma services. Sydney: NSW Health, 2009.
- 4. NSW Department of Health. Embracing change: report of the Greater Metropolitan Transition Taskforce. Sydney: NSW Health, 2004. http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2002/pdf/embracing_report.pdf (accessed Apr 2013).
- 5. Cox S, Smith K, Currell A, et al. Differentiation of confirmed major trauma patients and potential major trauma patients using pre-hospital trauma triage criteria. Injury 2011; 42: 889-895.
- 6. Dinh MM, Oliver M, Bein KJ, et al. Performance of the New South Wales Ambulance Service major trauma transport protocol (T1) at an inner city trauma centre. Emerg Med Australas 2012; 24: 401-407.
We thank Ian Seppelt for helping to review the manuscript.
No relevant disclosures.
* On behalf of Mitchell RJ, Chong SS, Balogh ZJ, Clark PT, D’Amours S, Black DA, Langcake ME, Taylor CB and Cameron PA.