Plastics Outreach Service

The plastics outreach service ensures that specialist plastic surgical care is available to patients who find it hard to access services on-site at QVH. The service is run by two clinical nurse specialists with consultant support.

Trauma patients, lower limb trauma and in-patients can be referred to the plastics outreach service.

Trauma patients

Patients who may possibly need surgical reconstruction, can be referred to the outreach service by any member of the multidisciplinary team, tissue viability nurses, paramedics who attend the patient at home, GP and community nurses.

• Once accepted by QVH, one of the clinical nurse specialists will make contact initially via telephone with the patient, the patient’s next of kin, or clinical team either in hospital or at home, within two weeks of referral.

• If necessary, the clinical nurse specialists will arrange a visit to see the patient wherever they are at the time. The nurses will carry out a wound assessment, take photographs of the wounds and if necessary liaise between the plastic surgery team at Queen Victoria Hospital and the referring teams. They will discuss with the patient and their family, all options of care and help them decide how they would like to proceed. This may include skin grafting surgery, specialist dressings, or simply help and support for the patient and their clinical teams who are caring for the wound.  The nurses will then communicate with the individuals who are providing wound care to facilitate the plan of care that the patient wants.

To refer a patient

• Send photographs using the secure TRIPS telemedicine service.
• Telephone the patient details through to the QVH trauma co-ordinators – 01342 414000.
• Refer patient to community nurses for regular dressing changes if necessary.

In-patients

To refer an in-patient directly please email the plastics outreach team, stating the:

• Patient’s name
• Hospital number and date of birth
• Reason for referral
• Reason patient requires an outreach visit.