New research to address the needs of children and their families following major trauma injuries

Samantha Jones, Physiotherapist and Major Trauma Co-ordinator, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) has been awarded an NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Doctoral Fellowship, to develop an assessment tool that will help health professionals identify the holistic rehabilitation needs of children following major trauma injuries.

Major trauma is the term used to describe serious injuries which can result in death or disability. RMCH became a Specialist Children’s Major Trauma Centre when Major Trauma Networks were activated in 2012. The Major Trauma Networks are based on system whereby ambulance services triage children with a suspected serious or life threatening injuries to Major Trauma Centres and bypass local hospitals.   There is currently a lack of evidence based children’s specific trauma outcome measures and tools.

Samantha’s work will develop an assessment tool called the Manchester Needs Tool for Injured Children (MANTIC). To develop the MANTIC Samantha will conduct face-to-face interviews with children with traumatic injuries and their families, to identify a range of themes relating to their needs.   The themes will be analysed to develop questions to be included in the MANTIC. A larger group of children and families will then complete a first draft of the MANTIC to determine which questions are most relevant and important to retain.

The MANTIC will help health professionals to identify the overall rehabilitation needs of children with major trauma injuries, including their emotional, physical, psychological and educational needs.

This will help to ensure children with major trauma injuries are referred to appropriate health, educational and social care services in a timely manner. It is hoped this will improve the rehabilitation experience and outcomes for children and their families, and also facilitate their recovery

Samantha added:

“This research may help to reduce the chance of children developing long term problems, resulting in cost savings for the NHS and social care. Information from the assessments may also be used to assess whether current services meet children’s needs and inform the development of children’s services in the future.”

“The MANTIC also gives children and families a voice and initiates a discussion with clinicians about which needs are a priority and can be addressed through self-management strategies. This will help to achieve an evidence based individualised care plan.”