Burns Bus secures funding for a second year after helping over 1,000 people in first year of operation
The mobile clinic delivers crucial burns treatment across multiple counties
The pioneering Burns Outreach Bus, known as BOB, is set to continue its service for burns patients across Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and London after securing funding for another year.
It is the first of its kind in the UK and offers specialist wound care, scar therapy, and follow-up support close to patients' homes, having facilitated over 1,000 appointments in its inaugural year.
Thanks to £68,000 raised by the generosity of Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity supporters, the Burns Bus will provide convenient and accessible burns-related treatment during challenging recovery times.
Sue Boasman, Burns Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thanks to the continued generosity of community supporters, we are delighted to be able to keep providing specialist burns care closer to home for our most vulnerable patients. It means they no longer have to travel long, difficult journeys to the St Andrew’s Burns Centre at Broomfield Hospital - we come to them.
“Families have told us how much less stressful the Burns Bus is, especially for children, and many are benefiting from shorter journeys, lower travel costs and well-run clinics. It has also had a positive environmental impact, saving an estimated 60,000 miles of patient travel in our first year.”
Operating from large supermarket car parks at pre-arranged locations, the Burns Bus ensures expert care without the strain of frequent hospital trips.
Lucy Thomas-Clayton, Director of Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity, said: “We are incredibly proud to extend funding for this ground-breaking service for another year. Every donation we receive, whether from individuals, community groups or local businesses, has helped make this possible. Our supporters are directly improving the lives of burns patients and their families, ensuring they can access specialist care outside of a hospital environment.”