The aim of these guidelines is to provide direction to health care professionals caring for adults or children with burn injuries in the primary care setting in Victoria. This includes emergency department staff, general practitioners, physicians, general surgeons, nurses and paramedics.

The guidelines include:

• Transfer & referral criteria
• Initial management of patients with severe burn injuries
• Burns assessment
• Management of patients with a minor burn injuries
• First aid

The guidelines are a joint initiative between the Victorian state wide burns services at The Alfred and Royal Children’s

Hospital which aims to provide a more consistent standard of burns management, particularly in the early stages post injury, in order to improve outcomes for those who are injured. The guidelines are based on evidence where available and consensus expert opinion.