The latest clinical guidelines for use in major incidents and mass casualty events, recently published by NHS England, have been developed following a period of multiple incidents that have presented a range of challenging clinical scenarios such as blast injury, penetrating injury and the use of chemical agents, unlike those seen in day to day practice.
This guidance has been developed on behalf of the NHS to establish and share best practice in the clinical management of major incidents and mass casualty events, using experience from both military and civilian practice and lessons identified after the recent incidents, and to assist clinicians in managing these patients.
Major trauma centres may have their own protocols and guidance already in place for managing multiple severely injured casualties and these guidelines are not intended to replace these. For the occasional trauma team responder, in a trauma unit or local emergency centre, these guidelines should form the basis of clinical emergency preparedness and serve as an aide memoire during a major incident.
The intention is that this guidance will be regularly reviewed and re-issued as new developments based on an ever-increasing evidence base and experience emerge.