NHS Wales: Burns and plastic surgery centre of excellence to benefit from £7.7m boost

Wales’ health secretary Mark Drakeford has today confirmed that the Welsh centre of excellence for burns and plastic surgery is set to benefit from a £7.7m suite of upgrades.

The site is located at Morriston Hospital in Swansea and supports a population of around 10 million people, ranging from Aberystwyth to Oxford.

UK-wide support

The investment will support:

• Three new burns cubicles
• Two new general intensive care cubicles
• The conversion of an existing theatre to treat more burns patients

The centre delivers specialist care to over 1,000 people every year (half being children), including those with the most severe burns.

The site, which is marking its 30th anniversary, also helps 6,500 people who need plastic surgery – mainly after a traumatic event, infection or cancer – on an annual basis. It regularly takes intensive care patients from all over the UK.

Continental trailblazer

“This investment means that the sickest of our Burns patients will continue to get the best care possible,” said Dean Boyce, consultant plastic surgeon at Morriston Hospital, which is managed by Swansea Bay University Health Board.

“Swansea has always been one of the outstanding Burns centres in the UK, and this development ensures that this excellence will continue.”

Mark Drakeford said: “For the last 30 years, the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery has built a reputation for being one of Europe’s largest and busiest burns services, providing excellent care to thousands of people.

“This funding will help to ensure the centre can continue to deliver the best outcomes for patients and staff alike, with high quality facilities to meet patient needs, and to attract and retain talented, professional staff – helping to save more lives, quickly and safely.”

Image credit: Swansea Bay University Health Board