Liverpool Hospital was founded in the late 18th century and has been running continuously since that time. It is the NSW Health Department designated major trauma service for the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD). Liverpool Hospital sits within an education and health precinct which includes the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, the Clinical Schools of the University of New South Wales and University of Western Sydney, South West Private Hospital and South Western Sydney TAFE. It is a principal teaching hospital of the University of New South Wales and the University of Western Sydney and has an active education programme for medical practitioners, nurses and health professionals, with a range of clinical placements available for students from universities around Australia.

It serves the population of South Western Sydney (in excess of 1,000,000), acting as a referral hospital for two rural (Camden and Bowral) and three urban hospitals (Fairfield, Campbelltown and Bankstown). It has a maximum capacity of 960 beds, 23 operating rooms and 60 critical care beds, diagnostic and imaging services, emergency and trauma care, maternity, paediatric, cancer care, mental health, ambulatory care, allied health and medical and surgical services from birth to aged care. It also provides a range of state-wide services in areas such as critical care and trauma, neonatal intensive care and brain injury rehabilitation.

South Western Sydney is now seen as Australia’s fastest growing region and is also the site of the second International Airport currently under construction. The hospital itself is currently undergoing a $1billion rebuild and expansion, the first stage due for completion in 2026.

The trauma service at Liverpool Hospital has a long history of excellence. Trauma is considered core business at Liverpool Hospital and it is a highly regarded and recognised specialty within the hospital seeing around 600 major trauma cases per year. It is the second oldest established trauma centre in Australia and as expected of a Level 1 Trauma Centre, we have all the components necessary for the optimal care of the trauma patient including injury prevention, a well-established prehospital system of care and transport, all clinical specialties and disciplines for acute management, a brain injury unit, a rehabilitation team, and a very comprehensive educational and training curriculum as well as research activities.

A few years ago, the Trauma Unit was merged with the Acute Surgical Unit forming a large Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (TACS) Unit. This Unit has 4 Fulltime Staff Specialist Surgical Consultants, 2 VMO Surgical Consultants, 2 Fellows, 2 SET Trainees and 2 non SET trainee as well as 2 RMOs and 2 Interns. We also have a dedicated Training and Education Manager, a Data Manager, 2 administrative staff and 5 Clinical Nurse Consultants.

The ACSU team is the busiest General Surgical Unit at Liverpool Hospital, with approximately 180 – 200 patient discharges per month. The patient cohort consists of approximately 75-80% acutely admitted general surgical and trauma patients which is greater than that for other surgical units. This represents a high intensity, high turnover unit that has complex general surgical and trauma patients that require prompt and thorough assessment and management. In addition an array of general surgical elective work is done by the unit.
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