Skin banking in the UK: the need for proper organization

Skin banking was set up in Sheffield in 1991 to provide a readily available source of allograft material to be used both for research purposes and also as a means of providing immediate wound cover for major burns patients. Once skin was available, however, clinical demand for it both within and outside Sheffield, outstripped the resources to run the bank. Logistical difficulties were encountered in the day to day running of the bank. These revolved around shortage of staff available for harvesting, the relative lack of public awareness of skin donation, shortage of banked skin as the bank became more widely known and lack of space and finance to expand. The decision was made to transfer the now established skin bank to the National Blood Service where it now operates with staff and resources dedicated specifically to this purpose. Experience leads to the suggestion that there is a clinical need for allograft skin in the UK which is not being met at the present time. There is a need for dedicated properly resourced skin banks and for the Department of Health to introduce regulation, monitoring and inspection of skin bank facilities in order to safeguard standards.