New WHO centre aims to improve emergency care across the globe

A new World Health Organization (WHO) initiative at the University of Birmingham aims to save lives around the globe through better quality of care and improved access to services.

Led by Professors Justine Davies and Antonio Belli, the University’s Department of Applied Health Sciences has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Integrated Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care - providing valuable input to help deliver more effective and efficient healthcare for people with acute health needs.

Establishing the centre will help WHO develop resources and tools to support Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) to improve their emergency, critical and operative care services for patients across a range of conditions, including injuries and other medical emergencies including sepsis, heart attacks, and strokes.

University experts will help WHO to develop better acute care pathways – to help ensure that all patients get the care that they need in a timely manner. Researchers will also help WHO to develop tools for better prehospital care - for example, that delivered in ambulances - and strengthening health worker capacity.

The four-year initiative is based on existing research projects being delivered as part of the NIHR Global Health and other funding that the team have received, including:

• Using extensive data collected with partners in Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, and Pakistan, Equi-injury to develop interventions to reduce the likelihood of people in developing countries dying unnecessarily from injuries.
• Rwanda912 has developed an innovative electronic ambulance dispatch and communication communications platform to improve prehospital transport of injured people in Rwanda.

• Work funded by Laerdal Foundation focusses on developing emergency ambulance dispatch systems suitable for low resourced settings.

• Other work funded by University of Birmingham focusses on improving quality of care delivered in emergency settings.

Director of the Centre, Professor Justine Davies, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Securing designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre will help to amplify the global impact of the exciting research in emergency healthcare being carried out at the University of Birmingham.

“We are looking forward to developing a much closer working relationship with the WHO that will ultimately lead to patients in LMICs receiving more timely and effective treatment – improving clinical outcomes and saving many thousands of lives across the globe.”

Systematic reviews and research on quality improvement strategies will help identify best practices, leading to higher standards of care and better patient outcomes, whilst creation of comprehensive service planning tools will help to establish well-organized emergency, critical and operative care services, making it easier for patients to access necessary care.

Improved tools for ambulance dispatch and prehospital care will ensure patients receive appropriate, immediate care at the scene - potentially reducing death rates. Development of competency assessment tools will ensure healthcare professionals are well-trained and capable of delivering high-quality care, enhancing patient safety.

Co-Director of the Centre, Professor Antonio Belli, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Working closely with WHO and other international bodies will help standardise care practices globally - ensuring that patients receive consistent and high-quality care regardless of where they live and work.”

The WHO initiative follows major funding for University of Birmingham researchers to support the UK in preparing for emergencies and responding to major health protection incidents, including future pandemics.

Birmingham researchers, under the leadership of Professor Belli and Professor Nick Loman, are heading up two of the 13 National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Units (HPRU) announced late last year.

Professor Belli leads the HPRU for Emergency Preparedness and Response, looking at scientific responses in major domestic and international crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola and acts of terrorism. Professor Loman heads up an HPRU in Public Health Genomics - harnessing genomic sequencing to help quickly detect and control infections caused by a wide variety of pathogens.