European Trauma Course to be delivered in Gibraltar

The Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has been granted approval to become a centre for the delivery of the European Trauma Course, with the first course set to take place at the Sunborn Hotel from April 14, 2025.

The training programme, supported by a donation from the Kusuma Trust, will provide local healthcare professionals with skills and knowledge to deliver high quality, evidence based care for major trauma patients.

The European Trauma Course trains doctors, nurses and paramedics together in multi-specialty teams, replicating real life trauma scenarios. It is the only internationally accredited trauma course certified by organisations such as the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery and the European Society for Emergency Medicine.

The three day course will be delivered by an experienced faculty of multidisciplinary instructors from across Europe. Teaching will include lectures, skills workshops and 30 increasingly complex trauma scenarios. Candidates will be assessed throughout the course on their ability to work within a trauma team, lead a trauma scenario, and demonstrate competence in practical trauma skills, with a final team lead assessment.

The process to secure approval for the GHA to become a course centre involved extensive preparatory work by Charge Nurse Sarah Smith, supported by Resuscitation Officer Michelle Gracia. Both nurses successfully completed the course and were selected to join the European Trauma Course faculty as instructor candidates. They will join Andrey Valkov, Emergency Medicine Physician, who recently qualified as Gibraltar’s first European Trauma Course instructor, to form the core faculty for future courses in Gibraltar.

Becoming a course centre for the European Trauma Course is expected to have a positive impact on GHA staff and service users by providing advanced trauma training and improving confidence in handling complex trauma cases.

Country Manager for Kusuma Trust Gibraltar, Michelle Tosso, said: “At Kusuma Trust we recognise the importance of investing in professional development, particularly in healthcare, where continuous learning and skill development ensure that healthcare providers stay up to date with the latest medical research, technologies, and best practices.”

“This directly translates into higher quality patient care and improved patient outcomes. Hence, we are delighted to continue our longstanding support for the Gibraltar Health Authority by funding a three-day European Trauma Course which will be delivered locally.”

“We are very grateful to Sandie Gracia and everyone involved for their hard work and initiative in bringing the European Trauma Course to Gibraltar. By establishing the GHA as an internationally accredited training centre, the course will be more accessible to local healthcare professionals in future, benefitting trauma patients for years to come.”

Director of Nursing, Sandie Gracia, said: “Upgrading training and skills for frontline health workers is beneficial to the service provided by the GHA, and the trauma course is a perfect example of collaboration with external organisations in a shared objective.”

“Course instructors will evaluate our response to a simulated major emergency providing us with a valuable learning opportunity to be more effective in real life catastrophes.”

GHA Director General Kevin McGee said: “We are very excited to be hosting the first European Trauma Course for health professionals in Gibraltar.”

“I must thank Director of Nursing, Sandie Gracia, for her great efforts in securing the Kusuma Trust donation. It is a magnificent initiative as ultimately the aim of this training is to save lives, reach higher standards of trauma-informed care and improve patient outcomes. At the same time it will foster professional development, boosting morale and job satisfaction all round.”

The Minister for Health and Care, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “I am delighted that we are bringing the European Trauma Course to Gibraltar.”

“I am very thankful for the work done by the GHA to make this happen, and very grateful to the Kusuma Trust for their continued support and very generous donation.”

“This is about saving lives, improving patient outcomes and ensuring our frontline staff have the tools they need to do their job with confidence.”