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ObjectiveTo describe the capacity of the Indian healthcare system in providing appropriate and effective burns treatment and rehabilitation services.ResultsHealth professionals involved in burns treatment or rehabilitation at seven hospitals from four states in India were invited to participate in consultative meetings. Existing treatment and rehabilitation strategies, barriers and enablers to patient flow across the continuum of care and details on inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation were discussed during the meetings. Seventeen health professionals from various clinical backgrounds were involved in the consultation process. Key themes highlighted (a) a lack of awareness on burn first aid at the community level, (b) a lack of human resource to treat burn injuries in hospital settings, (c) a gap in burn care training for medical staff, (d) poor hospital infrastructure and (e) a variation in treatment practices and rehabilitation services available between hospitals. A number of opportunities exist to improve burns treatment and rehabilitation in India. Improvements would most effectively be achieved through promoting multidisciplinary care across a number of facilities and service providers. Further research is required to develop context-specific burn care models, determining how these can be integrated into the Indian healthcare system.

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ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify priority policy issues and health system research questions associated with recovery outcomes for burns survivors in India.DesignQualitative inquiry; data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.SettingNine sites in urban and rural settings across India, through primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities.ParticipantsHealthcare providers, key informants, burns survivors and/or their carers.ResultsParticipants acknowledged the challenges of burns care and recovery, and identified the need for prolonged rehabilitation. Challenges identified included poor communication between healthcare providers and survivors, limited rehabilitation services, difficulties with transportation to health facility and high cost associated with burns care. Burns survivors and healthcare providers identified the stigma attached with burns as the biggest challenge within the healthcare system, as well as in the community. Systems barriers (eg, limited infrastructure and human resources), lack of economic and social support, and poor understanding of recovery and rehabilitation were identified as major barriers to recovery.ConclusionsThough further research is needed for addressing gaps in data, strengthening of health systems can enable providers to address issues such as developing/providing, protocols, capacity building, effective coordination between key organisations and referral networks.

Highlights Quality improvement requires a comprehensive integrated approach. Clinical standards are a vital first step in improving outcomes for LMICs. Capacity building needs a range of educational courses from basic to advanced. Evaluation tools are needed to measure progress.