UK's first burns bus saves patients long journeys

The outreach vehicle team said it had saved patients mileage equivalent to about 128 flights from London to Paris

The UK's first burns bus has already reduced health inequalities in its first six months by travelling to more than 700 patients, staff have said.

Nurses estimate the Burns Outreach Bus has saved patients 29,300 miles in journeys by driving to their homes across the East of England.

The mileage is equivalent to about 128 flights from London to Paris.

The St Andrew's Burns Unit is based at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and advanced nurse practitioner Sue Boasman said some patients could not afford to travel.

"The reality is they're choosing between feeding their families a hot meal and coming to a burns appointment, and that's what they're feeding back to us," she said.

The bus has been driven to Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, parts of Hertfordshire, Kent and London.

"This is the UK's first burns bus so we kind of made it up as we went along to start with," she said.

"It's important that it's kept clean and that it's easily cleanable because the risk of infection is very high in burn patients, but we also want a safe environment where patients feel safe to come into for their wound care."

She said the unit treated between eight and 10 patients a day.

It is typically used to change patients' dressings and help care for their wounds.

Ms Boasman is hopeful the burns bus will continue after the one-year trial

On Tuesday, the public were invited to Southend University Hospital to learn more about the latest innovation in patient care.

The burns unit's demonstration dummy - Toothless Ted - was one of the attractions.

The project is being piloted for one year following donations from the London and South East Burns Network and the Doris Macer Foundation.

Ms Boasman hopes the bus will stay on the road beyond the trial.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust runs Broomfield Hospital and chief medical officer Christine Blanshard said it had made a "real difference".

"We are committed to supporting this innovative way of working," said Ms Blanshard.

"The service supports people in the wider East of England area and reduces health inequalities by providing burns care for patients who find it hard to travel.

"We are supporting the team in exploring future options for the service."