THE POST-ACUTE TRAUMA SUPPORT (PATS) MODEL™

Trauma Pain Support Ltd

Trauma Pain Support · For Healthcare Services

The Post-Acute Trauma Support (PATS) Model™

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.

01
The Continuity Gap

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.

Global & National Expectations

The World Health Organization (WHO), NICE, and NHS England specify that trauma care must include continuity and rehabilitation. These 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.
02
Identifying the Gap

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 rehabilitation is strong, but short-lived.
  • Guidelines describe what should happen, not how to deliver it.
  • Deterioration often appears months after discharge.
03
The Model

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 a predictable, repeatable, and evidence-aligned structure for supporting trauma recovery beyond discharge.

  • A structured long-term pathway.
  • A predictable, trauma-informed sequence.
  • Multi-domain support (physical, functional, emotional, cognitive).
04
Reach & Focus

Who the PATS Model™ Supports

  • NHS and private rehabilitation services
  • Major trauma networks
  • Pain clinics
  • Community MDT teams

What the PATS Model™ Strengthens

  • Functional stability
  • Biomechanical resilience
  • Emotional regulation
  • Self-management capacity
05
The Rationale

Why the PATS Model™ Works

The model provides consistent structure during the high-risk post-discharge period, aligned with recognised trauma recovery patterns and rehabilitation science.

06
In Practice

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.
07
Next Steps

The PATS Model™ is a pathway to continuity-based trauma recovery, grounded in recognised standards and lived experience.