Closing the Post-Acute Trauma Continuity Gap
Every year, thousands of Road Traffic Accident (RTA) survivors are discharged from hospitals and early rehabilitation services having survived the trauma, but without a clear, structured long-term recovery pathway. Global frameworks expect trauma care to extend beyond discharge, yet many survivors still fall into a predictable gap.
1. Understanding The Post-Acute Trauma Continuity Gap (PATCG)
The PATCG refers to the absence of structured, trauma-informed support in the 4–12 months after discharge, a period when biomechanical, emotional, and functional deterioration frequently emerge.
1.1 Global & National Expectations
Organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO), NICE, and NHS England specify that trauma care must include continuity and rehabilitation. These mandates form the foundation for trauma-informed continuity, yet many services lack a structured way to implement them.
- WHO Rehabilitation 2030 identifies rehabilitation as essential.
- NICE NG211 emphasises continuity from hospital to community.
- NHS Major Trauma standards require long-term pathway support.
2. How TPS Identified the Gap
Through lived experience, survivor stories and clinical discussions, TPS identified the same system-wide issue: strong early support but no structured long-term continuity.
- Early rehab is strong but short-lived
- Guidelines describe what should happen, not how to deliver it.
- Deterioration often appears months after discharge
3. What Is the PATS Model™?
The Post-Acute Trauma Support (PATS) Model™ is a long-term continuity framework designed to bridge the PATCG and provide predictable, repeatable and evidence-aligned structure for supporting trauma recovery beyond discharge.
- A structured long-term pathway
- Predictable trauma-informed sequence
- Multi-domain support
4. Who the PATS Model™ Supports
- NHS and private rehab services
- Major trauma networks
- Pain clinics
- Community MDT teams
5. What the PATS Model™ Strengthens
- Functional stability
- Biomechanical resilience
- Emotional regulation
- Self-management capacity
6. Why the PATS Model™ Delivers Results
The model provides consistent structure during the high-risk post-discharge period, aligned with trauma recovery patterns and rehabilitation science.
7. How Services Use the PATS Model™
- As a structured long-term recovery framework
- As a roadmap for trauma-informed continuity
- As a coordination tool across multidisciplinary teams
8. Next Steps
Services can explore the PATS Model™ through:
The PATS Model™ is your pathway to compliant, compassionate, continuity-based trauma recovery, backed by standards and lived experience.
