Press Release:

Surgeons warn of lifelong consequences of severe burns – as new figures show there were over 35,000 child admissions in the past five years

• 49% (17,052) of child admissions to designated specialised burn services in the past five years involved scalds from hot food or drink.
• 51% (1,576) of child admissions for scalds to designated specialised burn services in 2018 involved children aged 0-2 years.
• 57% of the admissions to designated specialised burn services among 0-2 year-olds in 2018 related to hot tea or coffee spillages.
• The Royal College of Surgeons of England is backing this year’s “SafeTea Campaign” as part of National Burns Awareness Day.7

Plastic surgeons from the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) and the British Burn Association are warning that children can face years of gruelling operations and treatment following preventable burns or scalds, such as from hot tea or coffee spillages. New figures from the International Burn Injury Database (iBID) show there were 35,007 child admissions to specialist burns hospitals in England and Wales in the past five years (2014-2018).

The figures show that almost half – 49% (17,052) – of child admissions to designated specialised burn services, in the past five years, involved children who had been scalded by hot food or liquid spillages. The Children’s Burns Trust estimates that the average cost to the NHS for treating a patient with a major burn is £168,155.1

As part of the ‘SafeTea Campaign’ to mark National Burns’ Awareness Day, surgeons are issuing preventative and first aid advice for burns. This year’s campaign aims to prevent serious scalds from mugs of hot tea or coffee and to reduce the number of children who are seriously burned each year, often due to preventable accidents.

A snapshot of the five year data, reveals that in 2018 there were 6,645 child admissions to designated specialised burn services in England and Wales; and 47% (3,119) of these burns to children involved spillages from hot food or drink. Over half – 51% (1,576) – of these burns admissions for scalds involved children aged 0-2 years old. More than half of these (57%) were for avoidable coffee and tea scalds.

Mr Andrew Williams, a consultant plastic surgeon at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, who specialises in burns, says: “Burn injuries are common and potentially devastating. Tragically they occur too often. Prevention is clearly key to reducing the number of patients we treat, which is why we want to raise awareness of this issue. All it takes is for a small child to pull a kettle cord, or knock a cup of tea over, and they can be scarred for life. Every second counts when it comes to treating a new burn, so it is vital that parents know basic first aid – especially the importance of running scalded skin under cold water, for example.

He adds: “Recovering from a serious burn or scald can be physically gruelling if a patient has to undergo skin grafts and multiple operations, and it can impact the whole family. In young children, scar tissue might not grow with them, with the resulting need for potentially years of operations and therapy ahead of them. The road to recovery can also be psychologically very challenging, especially if a person has visible scars. This is why it is so important that we all – and particularly parents of young children – are aware of the simple steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of such accidents from happening the first place .”

The International Burn Injury Database is based on data from designated specialised burn services in England and Wales and therefore does not include minor injuries not referred to a burns service (i.e. where patients are treated by a GP surgery or in Accident and Emergency Departments).

The Children’s Burns Trust estimates that on average 110 children per day are seen in emergency departments with burn injuries – 46 as a result of a hot cup of tea or coffee spillage. It says that the most common place of injury for children is in the home – 49% of whom are burnt in the kitchen; and accidents are most likely to occur between 3pm and 6pm.

Mr Fadi Issa is Wellcome Trust CRCD Fellow, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the regional Burns Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Scientific Director of Restore, the Burn and Wound Research Trust. He is supervising a one-year RCS Research Fellowship in burns, wound healing or soft tissue reconstruction. Mr Issa says: “We see a large number of very young children with scald injuries where an accident has taken place at home.

“The way a burn is treated in those initial seconds and minutes after is crucial. A recent study, which was carried out at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and the University of Oxford2, and part-funded by the RCS, shows what a difference cooling a burn can make. Our advice is simple: 15-20-25. Run the scalded or burned skin under water at 15 °C for 20 minutes – and you could reduce the depth of a burn by up to 25%.3 This treatment can convert a deep burn needing surgery to one that just needs simple dressings to heal. The other key information is not to put any lotions or potions on a cooled burn. Cover it in cling film and seek urgent medical assistance.”

Press Release 17 Oct 2018

Burn accidents costing the NHS £20 million per annum, show latest statistics released on National Burn Awareness Day.

Today, on National Burns Awareness Day 2018, exclusive data shows the NHS burn services treated more than 15,000 patients for burns and scalds in 2017 at a cost of more than £20 million.

The Children’s Burns Trust, together with the British Burn Association, have released this exclusive insight from the International Burn Injury Database to raise awareness of burn prevention and burn-related first aid on National Burn Awareness Day 2018.
The two leading organisations in burn prevention and support hope that by drawing attention to the cost of burn injuries to the NHS, that more people will understand the importance of burn prevention and good first aid, which are vital in reducing the number of injuries – as well as the pressure on NHS burns services.
The figures released include those patients treated in burns centres, burns units and burns facilities across the E&W. It only relates to the more serious injuries and does not include the cost of the thousands more patients seen for more minor burns in A&E departments.

As well as the physical and emotional impact a burn injury has on the individual and their family, the cost to the health service is staggering. In 2017 more than 40 admissions to NHS burns services were classified as extremely severe, with these burns costing more than £95,000 each to treat.

The Children’s Burns Trust, whose work is focused on children and their families, have highlighted that a significant proportion of burns and scalds are among children under the age of 5 where the most prevalent cause of injury is from hot liquids, such as tea and coffee spills. Accidents like these are entirely preventable.

Ken Dunn, Consultant Burns and Plastic Surgeon and member of the British Burn Association’s Prevention Committee, said: “Looking at the shocking number of burn and scald injuries that take place across the UK every year in the context of the cost to the NHS brings into stark reality how common such injuries are. The vast majority of burn injuries are accidents, and whether suffered by adults, children or the elderly, most are entirely avoidable. On National Burns Awareness Day 2018, we need to see greater awareness about prevention and good first aid, both of which are key in reducing the number of accidents.”

Hundreds of NHS Services, Fire and Rescue Services, along with other organisations, come together each year on National Burn Awareness Day to raise awareness of the alarming number of people burned each and every day in the UK – the vast majority of which are preventable. The campaign also helps to promote the vital message of the importance of good first aid if a burn or scald does occur. All statistics provided by the International Burn Injury Database (iBID: http://www.cbtrust.org.uk/burn-prevention/database/):

Press Release 18 Oct 2017

 Latest statistics show 11 toddlers suffer a major burn daily in UK*

Today, on National Burns Awareness Day 2017, latest statistics show an alarming number of UK children are experiencing life-changing burn injuries every single day.
The Children’s Burns Trust, together with the British Burn Association, have released exclusive insight from the International Burn Injury Database to raise awareness of burn prevention and burn-related first aid on National Burn Awareness Day 2017.
The latest figures, released by the two leading organisations in burn prevention and support, show that in 2016 more than 600 children a month required admission to an NHS Burns Service following a burn or scald injury. Shockingly, this figure only relates to the more serious injuries and does not include the thousands who were seen for more minor burns in A&E departments up and down the country.
The Children’s Burns Trust, whose work is focused on children and their families, have highlighted that of the figure admitted to a specialist burns service, over 50% were children under the age of 5. That’s more than 11 toddlers every single day.
Ken Dunn, Consultant Burns and Plastic Surgeon, and chair of the British Burn Association’s Prevention Committee, said: “The vast majority of burn injuries are accidents, and whether suffered by adults, children or the elderly, most are entirely avoidable. If people take away one key message from National Burns Awareness Day 2017, it is that prevention and good first aid are the vital ingredients in reducing the number of burn-related accidents across the UK.”
Hundreds of NHS Services, Fire and Rescue Services, along with other organisations, come together each year on National Burn Awareness Day to raise awareness of the alarming number of people burned each and every day in the UK – the vast majority of which are preventable. The campaign also helps to promote the vital message of the importance of good first aid if a burn or scald does occur.
All statistics provided by the International Burn Injury Database (iBID: http://www.cbtrust.org.uk/burn-prevention/database/):
*This figure doesn’t include the thousands of children seen daily in A&E and discharged.