Burns information for adult patients, relatives, and carers

Burns Service at North Bristol NHS Trust

North Bristol NHS Trust provides a comprehensive seven bedded Adult Burns Unit specialising in caring for patients with burns injuries, and offering exceptional care and treatment of minor to moderate burn injuries. It is situated in the Brunel building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol. Patients are referred to the unit from throughout South West England. Patients may also be transferred to the unit for rehabilitation from Swansea, the Adult Burns Centre for the South West Network. Where necessary the Burns Service will treat patients within the Intensive Care Unit.

The Adult Burns Unit facilities include:

Seven en-suite single rooms for acute admissions.
Designated burns theatre.
A wet room.
Acute burn clinic (ABC) adjacent to the unit on Gate 33a, Level 2.

The Burns Unit Team

The Burns Unit Team The Adult Burns Unit Team consists of a matron, ward manager, a clinical nurse specialist for burns, experienced burns trained ward sisters and burns trained registered nurses, a clinical psychologist, a physiotherapist, occupational therapists, a dietician, a pharmacist, a discharge liaison nurse, acute pain nurses, assistant practitioners, healthcare assistants and student nurses. Working alongside them are the ward receptionists, the ward administrator and the housekeeping team.

The burns consultants:

Mr Mackie
Mr Pleat
Mr Cobley
Miss Estela
Mr Sen
Mr C Wearn

There is a consultant-led ward round each morning accompanied by the nurse in charge to review your care. Please feel at ease in asking about any aspects of your medical or nursing care.

We want to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible. Here are a few things you, your family, carers, or visitors may find useful.

The Adult Burns Unit contact number is 0117 414 3100 / 0117 414 3102.
Hospital switchboard: 0117 950 5050 and ask for Adult Burns Unit, Gate 33a.
Advisory visiting times are 10am until 7pm (please liaise with ward staff if you need to visit outside these advisory timings).
Meal times are 7am, 12pm and 6pm.
Your nearest drink and snack facility is the League of Friends cafe, situated on Level 1.
Your nearest hospital shop is located at the entrance of the main atrium.
Your nearest cash point is located in the main atrium, Level 1.
Your matron is Nicola Mackey.
The nurse in charge per shift details are documented on the ward reception area wipe board.
Visitor toilets are located in the entrance of Gate 33a, Level 2 and various locations throughout the atrium on Level 1.

Cleanliness

The Adult Burns Unit is a “clean area” and all staff wear clean surgical scrubs as a uniform whilst on the unit.

All patients and visitors are required to wash their hands on entering the ward and before leaving. Additional alcohol gel dispensers are found at the bottom of each patient’s bed or at the entrance to each side room and bay area. Regular hand washing by all staff and visitors is the best way to reduce the risk of infection whilst in hospital. Do not be afraid to ask staff if they have washed their hands before they care for you.

Due to the nature of burns injuries you will initially be nursed in a side room and MRSA screening swabs will be taken routinely on admission. This is to try and prevent any possible transfer of infections. If you have negative swabs results you may be moved into a bay area.

Whilst in hospital please do not sit on other patients’ beds, share toiletries, newspapers, magazines, food or go into other patient bay areas.
Please ask your visitors not to sit on the beds.
If visitors feel unwell, or have had sickness, diarrhoea, fever, sore throat or flu in the last 48 hours they should not visit.

Mobile phones

You are welcome to use your mobile phone but please keep it on silent whilst you are on the Adult Burns Unit.

Information for relatives and visitors:

Please tell the nurse of any allergies your relative may have; a list of any medications they are taking may be useful.
We provide some toiletries but you may wish to bring some personal supplies in, including deodorant and shaving equipment.
Portable media and laptops may be brought in, but mains powered equipment will have to be checked by the electrician. It will be the patient’s responsibility to keep equipment secure.
A dressing gown, slippers and pyjamas may be useful when your relative is fit enough to sit out of bed.
Storage space is limited so excess property should be taken home.
Check with staff about bringing in food items.

Valuables and money

We discourage you from bringing in valuable items or jewellery (apart from a wedding ring) as their security cannot be guaranteed. If this is unavoidable then please ask your nurse to put them away in the unit safe and ask for a receipt. On discharge please ask for your items to be returned before you leave hospital.

Flowers

Please do not bring flowers onto the unit.

Smoking and alcohol

Smoking is strictly prohibited in North Bristol NHS Trust hospitals and throughout the grounds. Alcohol is also not permitted. Please speak to your doctor or nurse for more information about stopping smoking or if you feel you might benefit from nicotine replacement therapy.

Visiting

Advisory visiting times are from 10am until 7pm (please liaise with ward staff if you need to visit outside these advisory timings).

Only two visitors per patient are allowed at a time. Children under eleven are not allowed on the unit. In exceptional cases the senior nurse on duty can review this.

Visitors to patient side rooms are required to check in with the patient’s nurse prior to entering the side room as extra infection control measures of wearing an apron and gloves may be required.

Letters and cards

These should be clearly marked with your relative’s name and sent to:
Adult Burns Unit, Brunel building, Gate 33a, Level 2, Southmead Hospital, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS10 5NB

Can family and friends stay overnight?

There is limited accommodation available within the hospital for patients’ relatives. Please ask a member of staff for further information. There are a number of hotels and bed and breakfasts near our hospitals where family and visitors can stay. Please visit www.visitbristol.co.uk for information on accommodation in Bristol.

Burns rehabilitation

If you have a burn affecting a joint you may be seen by the ward’s therapy team. Therapy may consist of exercises, assistance with walking, practice with functional tasks, a fitness program and/or splinting.

Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function to as near normal as possible when someone is affected by injury or illness. When you sustain a burn injury affecting a joint it may be painful and difficult to move. Your physiotherapist will ensure you are given adequate pain relief for your therapy sessions and will provide you with exercises to help regain your movement. If you are having difficulty walking, a physiotherapist has access to a range of walking aids to help you regain your mobility.

If you have been given an exercise regime or provided with a splint, it is likely you will need to continue with this when you are discharged home. This is important to help prevent problems with your ability to return to your normal everyday activities.

You may be referred for further treatment to a service within your locality. If you have any questions about your specific regime, please ask your therapist for further information.

Emotional support

Having a burn injury often, and understandably, can affect people emotionally. As part of the team, there is a clinical psychologist who routinely makes contact with people whilst they are on the ward, and provides support where that is required.

Social support

When you first go home from hospital, you may have difficulty carrying out some of your everyday activities. In many cases, family and friends can support you until you regain your independence. However, for some individuals this may not be possible.

If you think you might have difficulties returning home without help, please speak to your nurse about this at the earliest opportunity. A referral can be made at your request to a social worker who will assess whether you are able to have ongoing support from social services. These services can take some time to arrange and there are set criteria for what can be provided.

Carers information

When someone you care for is in hospital, it can be a worrying time as a carer. When you’re looking after someone, you may feel you have a right to access information held about them, or that you need the information to help you care for them. However, the law makes it clear that social services and healthcare authorities have a duty to protect an individual’s confidentiality.

For more information, advice and support for carers, please visit Carers Direct: www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect or phone 0808 802 0202.

Bristol-based carers line is also available Monday to Saturday, 10am - 1pm on 0117 965 2200.

Carers assessment

As a carer, you should be given an opportunity to talk about your needs and what help you need to look after the patient after they are discharged. It is your legal right to have your needs addressed and this is achieved by having a Carers Assessment.

Ask the nurse about how to get an assessment or contact your local authority. Patients who live in Bristol can contact Bristol City Council about an assessment on 0117 922 2700 or email adult.care@bristol.gov.uk. You can also get an assessment through your local carers centre phone 0117 939 2562.

Carer Support Scheme

The Carer Support Scheme has been developed for carers who are willing to continue to support a patient whilst they are in hospital with tasks such as washing, dressing, assisting with feeding and supporting them at night. It is not for ‘visitors’ of patients, but for those carers who are supporting the patient for significant periods of time whilst they are an inpatient. A Carer Sticker is issued daily to the carer by the ward and will provide a discount within the hospital restaurants and for parking. Please ask the unit staff for more information.

Spiritual and pastoral care

Spiritual care is part of how we can support you while in hospital. No matter what your culture or belief, the Spiritual Care Team (chaplaincy) can offer help.

They offer a confidential service that can help you with questions or worries in times of difficulty, or help you fulfil your religious needs, or just be there for you.

Within the hospitals there is a quiet area away from the wards, called The Sanctuary, where you can find peace or pray, and
where daily prayer is said. It’s available in the atrium on Level 1, Gate 30 to all those of all faiths or none.

Spiritual care team members regularly visit the wards. If you wish to contact one of them during your stay, please ask one of
the ward staff to make contact or leave a message on: 0117 414 3701.

Getting home

We are sorry, but except in cases of medical need we are unable to provide transport to get you home. If you are happy to pay for a taxi to take you home then please ask one of the ward team to help you book this. If you have any concerns then please inform the nurse in charge or the discharge liaison nurse.

Feedback, comments or complaints

At North Bristol NHS Trust we want to deliver exceptional healthcare to all our patients. If you feel we haven’t met this then please let matron Nicola Mackey, the ward manager Johanna Thomas or a senior nurse on duty know. Contact details: 0117 414 3100/0117 414 3102 or arrange an appointment through the ward receptionist.

Gifts and legacies

If you wish to make a donation to the Adult Burns Unit charitable funds please make cheques or monies payable to Adult Burns Unit, Gate 33a (fund account number 2022). If you are a UK taxpayer and eligible for gift aid then please ask the ward receptionist for a gift aid form. Gift aid can increase your donation at no additional cost to you under the government gift aid scheme.

The Adult Burns Unit charitable funds have provided us with the opportunity to purchase patient equipment and provide additional staff education training.

Please visit southmeadhospitalcharity.org.uk to donate or to find out more about leaving a gift in your will. For any questions regarding legacies please contact legacies@nbt.nhs.uk

Discharge home

On discharge you may be offered a burn’s follow up appointment in our Acute Burns Clinic (ABC) which is adjacent to the Adult Burns Unit on Gate 33a Level 2 or in our Burns outpatient’s clinic held in the Plastic Out-patient department, Gate 24, Level 1.

Useful websites

Adult Burns Unit: www.nbt.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-services/adultburns
Dan’s fund for burns: www.dansfundforburns.org
Adult Burn Support UK: www.adultburnsupportuk.org
Changing Faces: www.changingfaces.com
Katie Piper Foundation: www.katiepiperfoundation.org.uk
Avon Fire & Rescue: www.avonfire.gov.uk

How to contact us:

Adult Burns Unit
Gate 33a
Level 2
Brunel building
Southmead Hospital
Westbury on Trym
Bristol
BS10 5NB
0117 414 3100 / 0117 414 3102
www.nbt.nhs.uk/adultburns