With more people living longer, an increasing amount of care and support is being given in people’s homes. The Department of Health (DH, 2012) has highlighted how complex care, which was previously only delivered in hospital, is now being provided by district nursing teams and other multidisciplinary agencies.
People who are less mobile or have movement difficulties often spend longer periods of time sitting. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the seating being used is correct in terms of size and that adequate support is being provided to enable stability, comfort and function.
Ongoing changes to the NHS (Department of Health [DH] 2010a–c) mean that clinicians responsible for the delivery of wound care need to reduce expenditure while meeting the increasing demand for the provision of quality care (DH 2010a–c). The high impact action (HIA), Your SkinmMatters, identified ‘no avoidable pressure ulcers’ in NHS care settings as a vital improvement to the quality of patient experience and cost effectiveness (NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, 2010).
Aaron Knowles, Tissue Viability Podiatrist;
Richie Skinner, Senior Tissue Viability Podiatrist, both at Wound Healing Centres, Eastbourne
Steve Young,Managing Director, Cambridge Health Technology;
Sylvie Hampton, Tissue Viability Consultant,Wound Healing Centres, Eastbourne
Jane Alder & Rosemarie Winter describe an information technology system which contributes to the prevention and management of pressure sores in community nursing.
Jane Alder BSc (Hons), RGN, DN, Dip HE, ENB N49, N18 was professional Lead Nurse - District Nursing, United Bristol Healthcare Trust, Bristol, at the time of writing and now works as District Nurse - Lead, East Gloucestershire NHS Trust, Community Services, Gloucestershire. Rosemarie Winter BA (Hons) is Assistant Community Information Manager, United Bristol Healthcare Trust, Bristol.
Article accepted for publication April 2001.
Guy Alexander gives an overview on the selection of mattresses used in pressure ulcer prevention
Guy Alexander RGN, Dip N, BSc (Hons) is a Specialist Nurse - Joint Equipment Services, Hampshire County Council Social Services, North Hampshire PCT.
Article accepted for publication: January 2004
