Planning for major burns incidents in the UK using an accelerated Delphi technique

Background: Major incidents require careful planning if they are to be managed well. Although a generic plan to deal with all major incidents is essential, a number of “special incidents” deserve special consideration because of their potential to impact on specialist services. This paper examines the problems of managing a major incident involving large numbers of burns casualties. Method: A three-round Delphi study was conducted using a multidisciplinary panel of experts from prehospital care, emergency medicine, burns surgery, intensive care and emergency planning. Results: A series of consensus statements on the management of burns incidents are presented. An accompanying paper describes the practical implementation of this guidance. Conclusion: Specific consideration should be given to the problems of managing a major incident involving burns casualties.