Referral to emergency
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
- All referrals to emergency should be discussed with the Burns Service prior to presentation contact details, please refer to Referral information section.
- burns at the extremes of age – young children and the elderly
- burns greater than 10% total body surface area (TBSA) in adults
- burns greater than 5% TBSA in children
- full thickness burns
- burns with inhalation injury
- burns associated with major trauma
- burns with pre-existing illness
- burns of special areas – face, hands, feet, genitalia, perineum, major joints and circumferential limb or chest burns
- burn injury in pregnant women
- chemical burns
- electrical burns
- non-accidental burns
For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.
Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- adult burns service referrals 0435 051 631
Women's and Children's Health Network
- paediatric burns service referrals (08) 8161 7000
Category 1 - appointment clinically indicated within 30 days
- acute burn referrals discussed with the burns service
Category 2 — appointment clinically indicated within 90 days
- healed burn that is causing significant functional impairment or discomfort
Category 3 — appointment clinically indicated within 365 days
- nil
For information on referral forms and how to import them, please view general referral information.
Essential referral information
Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.
- identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- for adult patients, relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
- for paediatric patients, identify within your referral if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population, under guardianship/out-of-home care arrangements and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
- interpreter requirements
- adult burns referral form (PDF 151KB), services available at Royal Adelaide Hospital Adult Burns Centre
- paediatric burns referral form (DOC 245KB), services available at the Women's and Children’s Hospital Burns Service
Clinical management advice
Patients can be referred to the burns service by any clinician.
Burns service provides management for the following:
- acute burns
- burns surgical intervention
- elective burns surgery
- burn scar management
- rural and remote burn care by ‘burns link specialist clinicians’ and telemedicine consultations.