Critical haemorrhage two-year site survey

Reducing mortality from traumatic critical haemorrhage remains a priority for the Health Quality & Safety Commission and the National Trauma Network. Since publishing the national best practice bundle of care in December 2020, we have seen a continued decrease in mortality from haemorrhage across New Zealand, from 12.3 percent down to 5.6 percent of trauma deaths.

 Figure 1: Proportion of trauma deaths from haemorrhage 2017–22 

The Commission has now completed a second site survey at two-years post publication of the bundle.

Thank you to all who participated in the two-year survey. We received a total of 19 responses of the 23 hospitals we surveyed, an overall response rate of 83 percent. Of the responses:

• 79 percent (15 sites) now have a formalised activation protocol for critical haemorrhage in place, up from 54 percent at one year
• Two further sites are working with their trauma committees and blood banks to finalise and implement a local critical haemorrhage activation
• Two-thirds of services have made amendments to their Massive Transfusions Protocol (MTP) based on the evidence-based guidelines found in the bundle of care since publication, with a further three sites in the process of doing so
• 100 percent of emergency departments are holding annual critical haemorrhage simulation training at both
• 75 percent of operating theatres (14 sites) are now holding simulation training at 24 months.

Related resources

Two-year site survey infographic (156KB, pdf)

One-year site survey results