The tyranny of distance: Geographic variation in access to health care and service utilisation for people with serious injury

In Victoria, specialised acute trauma services exist to reduce morbidity and mortality following serious injury. Acute major trauma services are located in inner metropolitan Melbourne which has the potential to create a disparity of post-discharge care for people living in outer urban and regional areas. People with serious injury have reported dissatisfaction with post-discharge follow up, lack of access to appropriate services and deficiencies in expertise amongst community-based clinicians. This thesis examines the impact of geography on access to post-discharge health services and service utilisation for survivors of serious injury in Victoria, Australia.