A team of injury and pro bono lawyers represented Stewarts at the Pan London Trauma Nursing Conference on 15 November 2019 at the Emirates Stadium in London.

The conference was the second Pan London Trauma Nursing Conference organised by The Institute of Pre-Hospital Care at London’s Air Ambulance and sponsored by Stewarts. The conference was attended by 450 nurses from the four dedicated Major Trauma Centres in the London Trauma Network, which form part of the Pan London Major Trauma System. Together with the 35 Trauma Units, they provide a continuum of care for all injured patients within the Greater London area plus parts of Essex, Kent and Surrey regions.

The focus of the conference this year was to demonstrate what outstanding nursing care looks like in a wide range of settings, including spinal cord injury, head injury, paediatric trauma and elderly trauma. The programme consisted of eight interactive case reviews and presentations from the London Major Trauma System, The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, Royal London Hospital, St Mary’s Hospital, William Harvey Hospital and North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust. The compelling keynote address was from Salford Royal NHS Trust on the Manchester Arena Bombing in 2017.

The conference provided a fantastic opportunity for the nurses involved in the care of trauma patients in London to share their wisdom and experience in an engaging programme that encouraged discussion, the sharing of ideas and networking. Along with Stewarts, there were stands and representatives from Headway East London and Spinal Injuries Association.

Stephanie Clarke joined the panel discussion focusing on caring for a patient with head injury, chaired by Alice Kershberg, Neurotrauma Clinical Nurse Specialist at Royal London Hospital. The panel discussed the silent impacts of head injury that can go unnoticed but produce catastrophes for families, how nurses can maximise the support for patients, and how hope can be offered in the darkest of times.

The team at St Mary’s Hospital presented on the gold standard for nursing care in the context of brain injury, which includes a full multi-disciplinary approach, with a recognition that the injured patient’s family are often one of the most important parts of this team.

It was recognised that patients with spinal cord injury can face extensive time periods waiting for a space at a specialist centre, which can provide nurses with opportunities to provide support and avoid a therapeutic vacuum. Simon Pinnell from Spinal Injuries Association highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to be honest with patients in the acute setting who have suffered a spinal cord injury, and the importance of focusing on what an individual can do rather than on what they can’t do as a result of their injury.

Paul Paxton rounded off the conference by presenting the team from Royal London Hospital with the prize for the best presentation of the day for their moving case study on caring for young people who have experienced the trauma of interpersonal violence, where the holistic aspects of care are crucial following an injury.

Stephanie Clarke, Partner, said: “We felt really honoured to be part of such an amazing conference. The nurses were incredibly dedicated, and their compassion for their patients shone through in their presentation. It was quite humbling that all of those who attended had taken holiday and given up their free time to attend in order to improve the lives of their patients.”

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