THE POST-ACUTE TRAUMA SUPPORT (PATS) MODEL™

Trauma Pain Support

Trauma Pain Support — The Framework

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
Understanding the 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

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.
02
How TPS Identified 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 — when structured support has ended.
03
What is the PATS Model™

What is the PATS Model™?

The Post-Acute Trauma Support (PATS) Model™ is a long-term continuity framework designed to bridge the PATCG — providing predictable, repeatable, and evidence-aligned structure for supporting trauma recovery beyond discharge.

A structured long-term pathway
Predictable trauma-informed sequence
Multi-domain support across biomechanical, emotional, and functional recovery
04
Who it supports · What it strengthens · Why it works · How services use it

Who it supports

—NHS and private rehab services
—Major trauma networks
—Pain clinics
—Community MDT teams

What it strengthens

—Functional stability
—Biomechanical resilience
—Emotional regulation
—Self-management capacity

Why it delivers results

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

How services use it

—As a structured long-term recovery framework
—As a roadmap for trauma-informed continuity
—As a coordination tool across multidisciplinary teams
05
Next Steps

Explore the PATS Model™

The PATS Model™ is your pathway to compliant, compassionate, continuity-based trauma recovery — backed by standards and lived experience.

Explore the TPS framework.

Learn about TPS, view the research evidence, or get in touch to discuss how the PATS Model™ works in your context.

Professional Memberships: RSM · BSPRM · VRA · SOM · UKABIF · IPIC · NICE Registered Stakeholder

Trauma Pain Support Ltd · Company No. 16408714 · Registered in England & Wales · Framework aligned with WHO Rehabilitation 2030 principles