• emergency department

Even if one does not work in a “major trauma centre,” we all see trauma. Victims of stabbings and bike accidents do not follow “trauma criteria” when they head for the nearest ED. Elderly patients with seemingly minor injuries are brought to a local hospital, only to discover that there are 4 rib fractures, a pulmonary contusion and a subdural haematoma.

2015 marks the silver anniversary of UK's Trauma Audit Research Network (TARN). For those of you not living in the UK, TARN is a national registry that collects prospectively entered data on the epidemiology, treatment and outcomes from major trauma. TARN serves two major functions: it publicly reports its findings and it allows trauma researchers to use its large, prospectively collected data set to conduct research. Our first editorial, by Fiona Lecky, TARN's research director, describes the humble birth, development and accomplishments of TARN over the past 25 years. In an accompanying commentary, Dr Karim Brohi, clinical lead for London Major Trauma System, takes the opportunity to pause to consider the …