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Burns (adult)

Checked: 23-08-2023 by Vicky Ryan Next Review: 23-08-2025

Overview

Acute Burns

Most patients with acute burns presenting in primary care should be directed to their local Emergency Department or Urgent Treatment Centre / Minor Injury Unit.

First Aid for Burns

CKS also has advice on initial assessment and first aid treatment of burns:

Burns and scalds | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE

There is also advice on first aid treatment of burns and how to refer in the link below:

.Referral Criteria for Adult Burns Unit

Specialist Care

There is a specialist burns unit at Southmead Hospital for adults (aged 16 and over).

Please note that referrals for cosmetic treatment for scarring caused by burns is not routinely funded. Please see the Cosmetic Surgery or Treatment Policy for details.

Referral

Acute/Urgent Referrals

Patients should self refer to ED or UTC if they have a burn that requires assessment. They will then be referred on to the Burns team at NBT if this is required.

GPs can also make acute referrals by telephoning NBT switch (0117 950 5050) and ask for on call burns team who may request you use the the mdsas online referral tool (details below). This tool is not designed for primary care use and the on call team should accept referrals without needing to complete this.

Routine Referrals

Referrals for cosmetic treatment for scarring caused by burns cannot be made by GPs without individual funding in place. Please see the Cosmetic Surgery or Treatment Policy for details.

If funding is approved then please submit to Plastics via eRS.

MDSAS

The following online referral tool is available but is designed for referrals from ED or UTC/MIU:

https://referrals.mdsas.com/

Tips when completing this form:

Do not send referrals via email as these will not be accepted.
The form does not pre-populate from EMIS and requires manual entry of information.
GP practices are not included in the drop down list of organisations and so click the link below the organisation box to enter the name of your practice.
Fill in the form with as much information and include pictures.
Call 0117 9505050 and ask to speak to the On-Call Plastics SHO who will advise and offer an appointment or advise as necessary.

Please note: This system is recommended Nationally (mdsas) and has been agreed by the burns Network (SWUK). It is in use at all burns service providers in SWUK.

The process of using this system was distributed to all MIUS and EDs during COVID explaining the procedure. Some referrers will not be familiar with this system and junior medical staff are also told to accept telephone referrals. For contacts that are requesting advice, they may be asked to upload a referral via the telemedicine system as this allows for photo upload. How to refer via telemedicine

For other burn wound advice please use one of the; following contacts:

Adult burns unit, 24 hour helpline: 0117 414 3100 or 0117 4143102
Acute Burns Clinic telephone: 0117 4144005
Karen Highway Adult Burns Specialist Nurse Bleep 1380
Burns SHO on-call bleep 1311 or via switchboard.

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.