FWIW, AI came up with the following summary of standard UK practice on this question:
The British trauma system utilizes a hybrid approach, favouring rapid stabilisation at the scene only for critical interventions, followed by immediate transfer to a specialist hospital. It generally avoids "scoop and run" (rushing to the nearest hospital without field care) and "stay and play" (prolonged on-scene treatment) in favour of a balanced model.How the system operates depends on the patient's condition and location:
.1 Direct Transfer to a Major Trauma Centre (MTC)
For the most severe, life-threatening injuries, the priority is getting the patient to a specialist centre (MTC) as quickly as possible.
Pre-Hospital Care: Paramedics and medical teams (e.g., Air Ambulances) will perform only immediate, time-critical interventions at the scene—such as securing an airway or controlling catastrophic haemorrhage.
The 45-Minute Rule: Regional ambulance services use specific regional trauma triage tools to identify major trauma. If the patient can safely reach an MTC within 45–60 minutes, they will bypass smaller local hospitals entirely.
2. "Pit Stop" Stabilisation and Secondary Transfer
If a patient is too unstable to survive a long journey to a Major Trauma Centre, or if the travel time exceeds 60 minutes, the ambulance will divert to the nearest Trauma Unit (TU)
.Stabilisation: The local hospital serves as an emergency "pit stop" to resuscitate and stabilise the patient.
Onward Transfer: Once stabilised, the patient is rapidly transferred (often via a blue-light ambulance or emergency helicopter) to an MTC for definitive, specialist surgery or intensive care
This looks to be the Wessex Trauma Network jurisdiction
https://wessextraumanetwork.com/
6 Trauma units listed:
Queen Alexandria Hospital, Portsmouth 19 mi / 30 minutes
North Hampshire Hospital. 33 mi / 38 minutes
Salisbury district Hospital. 26 miles / 37 minutes
Poole Hospital 36 miles / 48 minutes
Dorset County Hospital. 56 miles / 66 minutes
St. Mary’s Hospital Isle of Wight. 36 miles / 87 minutes
Served by 3 NHS Ambulance Trusts and 2 Air Ambulance Charities
South Central Ambulance Service
South Western Ambulance Service
South East Coast Ambulance Service. <=== This one