Trauma care is to be removed from nine hospitals around the country according to new reports.

The Sunday Business Post reports that plans are underway to centralise trauma care - which would see patients treated in bigger and better equipped emergency departments.

However, it may see people involved in serious incidents - such as car crashes - having to travel longer distances for treatment.

The newspaper reports that the nine hospitals affected would still offer minor injury clinics and would be able to increase their number of elective surgeries as a result of the reduction in emergency services.