Frenchay Hospital is staging a moving exhibition of personal poetry and artwork created by a former patient.

Rachel Hartland was badly burned in a car accident on her way to work at a local newspaper in 1978.

She was treated at Frenchay Hospital, widely recognised for specialising in the treatment of burns injuries, and went on to train as a nurse feeling it was important to give something back.

Now Rachel, from Taunton in Somerset, who has always used art to express herself, has created a series of works which will provide Frenchay with a lasting reminder of its work with burns victims.

Rachel said: "I have always used poetry and art as a way in which to document and explore my feelings.

"The poems and artwork in this exhibition explore a wide range of themes relating to my experiences particularly around changes in body image, identity and trauma."

Ruth Sidgwick, arts programme manager for North Bristol NHS Trust which runs the hospital, said the artwork would be transferred to Southmead Hospital when it becomes the regionÕs acute hospital in 2014.

"We are delighted to showcase RachelÕs poetry and artwork here at Frenchay Hospital," she said. "They will be on display in the hospitalÕs main corridor - just up from the North Entrance.

"For many years Frenchay has been associated with treating burns and patients have come to the hospital from across the South West.

"This legacy will continue when we move the adult burns service to the new hospital at Southmead and the paediatric burns services transfers to the Bristol ChildrenÕs Hospital in 2014.

"We really hope that RachelÕs words and images will be a rich source of inspiration and hope for other trauma patients."

The poetry and artwork also feature in a new book which is now on sale - the profits from which will be donated to the adult burns unit at Frenchay Hospital. To reserve a copy email hartlandart@googlemail.com or for more information about Rachel visit www.hartlandart.co.uk