The trauma team structure will vary according to factors such as the time of day, availability of staff, hospital resources and skill set of the responders3. This section will describe the makeup and roles in the ‘ideal’ setting and in modified circumstances where only limited resources are available. The level of training or seniority is not a fixed recommendation and it is recognised that, at a practical level, ‘emergency clinician’ may equate to ‘emergency registrar’ and ‘anaesthetist’ to ‘anaesthetic registrar’, etc. The assignment of roles in a trauma team need to flexibly focus on optimising the net capabilities of those present and available, rather than being restricted by seniority or craft group4.
As general guidance, the ideal trauma team should consist of the following:
Where there are limited resources then individuals in the team will need to assume more than one role. It is important that all staff work collaboratively and communicate effectively.