Adult Burns Service

We provide specialised acute, surgical and reconstructive care to those who have received a burn injury by thermal, chemical, electrical or radiation. 

The 15-bed unit provides services for patients over the age of 16 for:

• acute burn treatment and burns surgical intervention
• burns reconstruction
• community prevention
• disaster management
• rural and remote burn care via trained ‘burns link specialists’ and telemedicine consultations
• scar management. 

The Adult Burns Service is renowned for its innovation in burn care and treats approximately 450 inpatients and sees around 3,000 outpatients every year. 

All Burns Unit services, including outpatient clinics, are located on Level 7G of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. 

Patients attending outpatient appointments, either acute dressing or elective burns reconstruction clinics, go to 7G and check in with Burns Unit ward clerk on arrival. 

The Adult Burns Service is a multidisciplinary team, represented by health professionals across medical, surgical, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech pathology, psychology and social work sectors.

Consultants

• A/Professor Marcus Wagstaff – Head of Unit
• Dr Elizabeth Concannon
• Dr Nicholas Solanki

Nurse Unit Manager

• Natalia Adanichkin

You need a referral from a GP or medical practitioner to access this service.

Once your referral has been received it will be triaged according to clinical urgency.

If your referral is accepted, you will either:

• receive a letter, phone call or text message confirming your appointment time, date and location
• receive a letter confirming you have been waitlisted for an appointment.

If the referral is declined, your GP or referring medical practitioner will be notified.

Before attending an appointment with us, we ask that you: 

• bring a copy of your referral letter
• bring your current Medicare card, any applicable concession cards or private health card
• take your recommended pain relief 30 minutes before your appointment.

Change or cancel your appointment

To change or cancel your appointment, contact us as soon as possible. 

We understand that travelling to Adelaide for specialist appointments can be challenging, especially for those who live in rural and remote regions.

Medical staff can discuss telehealth or local options for ongoing wound care, if they are available in your area and deemed suitable for your treatment.

We accept GP, specialist and hospital referrals to this service. 

Complete the referral form and email us. eReferrals are also accepted. 

Please use the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) as a referral guide. 

To ensure timely triage, include all demographic and clinical details. 

The service triages referrals according to clinical urgency. 

Download the First aid and emergency management of adult burns - Practise Guidelines 2023.

The Burns Unit is on Level 7, Zone G of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Go to Level 3 (ground floor), take the G lift to Level 7 and follow the signage to the unit.

Visiting hours in the Burns Unit are between 12:30 pm and 8:30 pm. 

Visiting times may be negotiated with nursing staff if required. In exceptional circumstances, one family member may be granted permission to stay overnight.

The Burns Unit’s infection control policies are in place for the protection of patients and extend to visitors. Visitors are required to present themselves to the nurse’s station and follow directions regarding infection control requirements, prior to entry into the patient rooms.

Day visitors are normally limited to 2 people at a time. Additional visitor restrictions may apply.

Please contact the ward prior to confirm current visitor requirements.