Queen Victoria Hospital celebrates upgrade of clinical referral system supporting patient care

Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) is celebrating a major digital milestone with the successful upgrade of its TRIPS telemedicine referral system, an essential tool in prioritising urgent patient care across London and the South East.

TRIPS (Telemedicine Referral and Image Portal System) supports QVH’s role as the regional specialist centre for reconstructive surgery after trauma. Used by clinicians across over 500 healthcare sites, TRIPS enables the secure sharing and review of injury photographs and clinical details 24/7, ensuring patients receive rapid assessment and the right level of specialist care no matter their location.

The system is a vital link in the urgent referral pathway for complex cases including burns, necrotising fasciitis, hand trauma, maxillofacial injuries, and lower leg trauma. TRIPS has been a fundamental tool for the region’s emergency trauma for response for over a decade and is fully endorsed by the London and South East Burns Network.

The recent upgrade enhances key system functionality, making it easier and faster for NHS and clinical services to submit referrals. This improvement supports QVH’s ongoing commitment to delivering efficiencies, particularly for the most urgent and complex cases. The latest upgrades are part of a broader QVH’s 2025–2030 vision for clinical excellence.

In 2024 alone, the system facilitated more than 29,000 referrals to the five regional specialist hubs: Broomfield Hospital (Chelmsford), Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (London), St George’s Hospital (Tooting), Stoke Mandeville Hospital (Aylesbury), and Queen Victoria Hospital itself.

Paul Drake, Burns Consultant and TRIPS Senior Information Officer, said:

“This upgrade marks an exciting step forward in our digital transformation journey, it’s not just about new technology, it’s about making a real difference in how quickly and efficiently we can get the right care to the right patients, when they need it most.

The TRIPS upgrade ensures that the underlying technology is fit for the future and has been developed to address the needs of our users, namely enhanced search functionality and the ability to submit photographs via tablet devices”

As QVH continues to lead in specialist care, system enhancements like TRIPS ensure that clinical teams are better equipped than ever to respond quickly, collaborate effectively, and prioritise what matters most: the patients care.