Profile of the first four years of the Regional Burn Unit based at St. John's Hospital, West Lothian (1992-1996).

In March 1992, the Regional Adult Burn Unit for the South East of Scotland in Bangour was transferred to the new District General Hospital in West Lothian. With the change in site and with changes in NHS policies and staff, it was expected that some difficulties would occur. An analysis of the initial situation was considered to be educational as well as of practical value. Parameters of mortality and infection were looked at in particular. The number of admissions of patients with burns (and notably those of 15% total body surface area or more) appears to be reducing annually; the mortality of 4.7% is comparable with Bangour, but the 42% mortality of patients with burns of 15% or more of the total body surface area is a cause for concern. Although the most common infectious organism in the Burn Unit remains Staphylococcus aureus, the advent of MRSA is worrying. The new unit has been closed twice because of bacterial infection. It is concluded that it is essential that patients with burns are managed in a separate Burn Unit within the District General Hospital and not amalgamated with other areas such as Intensive Care.