Wiltshire Burns victims will go to Wales under NHS proposals

9.26.00am GMT Thu 7th Jan 2010

The NHS is reviewing the way it deals with burns injuries in South West England and South and Mid Wales. At the moment Wiltshire residents are usually treated at Salisbury or Bristol. Under the proposals the most seriously injured adults will be treated in Swansea. Children will still be taken to Bristol.

Adults and children with less serious burns could be treated at any one of the four hospitals with the appropriate facilities in the area - Plymouth, Salisbury, Bristol and Swansea.

The number of people falling into the most serious category is very small - no more than two or three per year on average.

The proposals go to Wiltshire's Health Scrutiny Committee next Thursday January 14th.

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Summary of proposals which the committee is being asked to agree to:

For Wiltshire children there will be no change. All burn injuries from minor through to very complex will be cared for at Frenchay Hospital working jointly with the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Children's Hospital in Bristol, until all services are transferred to the Bristol Children's Hospital.

For Wiltshire adults - patients with the most complex needs would be transferred to the burns centre at the Morriston Hospital in Swansea. As the transfer thresholds have only just been agreed and burn care is provided in response to unplanned emergencies, it is difficult to be precise about the numbers of patients that would transfer in any given year. However, the numbers are likely to be very small.