Burns specialist to stay in NI

Waiting lists for cosmetic surgery are long

Northern Ireland's only burns specialist has said he decided to stay in the province following promises of new equipment and the response of his patients.

Doctor Khalid Khan announced in November that a lack of funds had made him consider accepting a position in England.

He has been the consultant plastic surgeon at the regional burns unit in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.

However, Dr Khan said he had been overwhelmed by the response of patients and that he had also been promised improvements in equipment.

The burns unit had just one plastic surgeon

Speaking on Wednesday, he said:"I don't just deal with burns. I do breast reconstruction as well, post-mastectomy reconstruction and that is my other big concern.

"Some of these women are waiting far too long, an unacceptably long period of time.

"We are hoping to get another temporary colleague with me and the two of us will run the service until I have another permanent colleague.

"There are hundreds of patients on the waiting list that includes men, women and children."

Dr Khan was involved in treating many of those injured in 1998 Omagh bombing.

His departure would have meant the end of non-urgent plastic surgery, such as breast reconstruction, in Northern Ireland. At present this is carried out at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.

The burns unit has treated people with appalling injuries such as those wounded in the Troubles as well as injuries incurred as a result of road traffic and industrial accidents.

Waiting lists for plastic surgery in the province are already very long, with a minimum wait of two years for an elective operation.