FRENCHAY Hospital is set to become a major trauma centre for the most badly injured patients across the South West.

Proposals to designate the hospital a speciality centre capable of treating people with major head injuries, severe knife or gunshot wounds, spinal injuries and amputation patients have been approved.

The centre will treat people from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire to Yeovil in Somerset.

Frenchay will become home to one of 16 similar trauma centres across the country, until the new acute hospital in Southmead opens in 2014 when the centre will move locations.

Harry Hayer, director of organisation, people and performance at North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead, said: "This is a very important development for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

"There will be 16 major trauma centres in the country. This is a very crucial and important development for us."

Frenchay is currently the major trauma unit in Bristol with a helipad and a major specialty for neurosurgery, burns and plastics patients. Becoming a Major Trauma Centre will mean patients who are admitted have access to specialist equipment and a full range of trauma specialists, including orthopaedics, neurosurgery and radiology teams.

North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay and Southmead hospitals, said the move was expected to increase survival rates by up to 50 per cent.

Chief executive Ruth Brunt said: "This will help improve patients chances of survival and help them recover faster. It is estimated that survival rates are increased by up to 50 per cent.

Approval of the plans was give by a review panel made up of representatives from the regional health authority and senior doctors, who visited the trust last month.

The clinical director of the Severn Major Trauma Network has been appointed and interviews have been held for the position of clinical lead at the Frenchay trauma centre.