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Lymphoedema is a chronic, progressive condition caused by impaired lymphatic drainage, leading to swelling, skin changes and increased risk of infection. Although specialist services provide targeted treatment, many patients are first seen in community settings where generalist practitioners may have limited knowledge or training in lymphatic care. This article offers a practical overview to support non-specialist healthcare professionals in recognising and managing lymphoedema. It outlines prevalence, risk factors and common presentations, highlights key assessment and differential diagnosis points, and reviews core management principles, including compression therapy, skin care, exercise and patient education. The psychosocial impact of lymphoedema and the importance of timely referral to specialist services are also discussed. Early recognition, consistent advice and person-centred support can improve outcomes and quality of life, while collaborative working ensures safe longterm care.

Dementia is a syndrome occurring as a result of brain disease, which is usually chronic or progressive in nature and ultimately a life-limiting condition. As discussed in the first article in this twopart series, in addition to cognitive decline, people diagnosed with dementia will also experience a gradual loss of function with a growing inability to perform basic activities of daily living, such as feeding, toileting and dressing (Kilroy-Findley and Harrison Dening, 2025). Dementia is often synonymous with ageing so people will also experience other comorbid conditions related to age, such as the effects of ageing skin and increased risk of frailty. In the advanced stages of dementia, the person may also experience immobility and poor nutrition and hydration, all of which are significant risk factors for developing pressure ulcers. This paper considers pressure ulcers in the context of a fictionalised case study based on clinical practice of a person with dementia, and explores patient assessment and care as well as treatment of pressure ulcers, reflecting on the literature.

As violence against nursing staff becomes more commonplace and the abuse suffered continues to increase, our ‘Community matters’ piece looks at whether violence specifically against community nurses is increasing. It discusses potential reasons for the rise in violence and abuse and the vulnerability of nurses working alone. Measures and processes that have been and are still taken to protect staff are explored, alongside their effectiveness. Remember to always report any instances of abuse, no matter how small and no matter how busy you are. Perhaps the most important section is the one headed ‘Relying on number one’ — please ensure that you read this and the advice offered. Take on board the recommended actions to support your safety at work and take all the precautions available to stay safe.

It is an unfortunate fact of nursing life that much like below-inflation pay rises and other people’s bodily functions, occasional incidents of abuse come with the job.

A recent report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) shed light on the issue with some shocking statistics showing that incidents of abuse and violence against staff in A&E departments had doubled since 2019, with nurses being punched, spat on and even threatened with guns and acid attacks (‘Nurses too scared to even go into work — as violence against A+E staff almost doubles in five years’ — www.rcn. org.uk)

As we approach National Self-Care Week (17–23 November 2025), new findings from the Living Self-Care Survey Study (www.selfcareforum.org/self-care-forum-research/) — conducted by the Self-Care Forum in partnership with Imperial College London’s Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) — reveal a pressing need to rethink how we support self-care across the UK. Led by my colleague, Dr Peter Smith, president of the Self-Care Forum, the study is one of the largest of its kind and highlights a clear disconnect between public willingness to self-care and the professional systems meant to support it.

Night-time care is one of the most complex challenges in adult social care. For decades, routine hourly checks have been the default approach to keeping residents safe. Yet this practice, although well-intentioned, often disturbs rest, reduces recovery, and increases risks such as falls and hospital admissions. In North Central London (NCL), we asked a simple but powerful question: could technology protect residents while also preserving their sleep?

Colostomy UK is the country’s oldest stoma charity. A great deal has changed over the years, although the one thing that has stayed largely constant is our mission — to support anyone living with any kind of stoma.

A service invests in a digital solution. The training is rolled out, log-ins are issued, and the dashboards look impressive. Six months later, the reality bites: project managers have come and gone, clinicians are struggling to juggle the programme with day-to-day pressures, and the executive team are waiting for ‘the app to show impact’.

With more than 90,000 catheter users in the UK, evidence suggests that catheter blockage is a common problem impacting on patient’s health outcomes. Approximately 50% of people with long-term catheters will experience catheter blockages that have been caused by encrustation or biofilm formation (Gibney, 2016).

Some patients experience hard-to-heal wounds that fail to improve despite standard care. Copper-impregnated dressings can offer both antimicrobial activity and support for wound healing processes. This paper explores an evaluation undertaken by the author of the effect of copper dressings on wound healing, pain reduction, and quality of life in patients with hard-to-heal wounds who had previously been unresponsive to silver-based dressings. Four patients with chronic wounds (six to nine months’ duration) were treated with silver dressings for six to nine weeks when hospitalised with no significant improvement. Their care plan was then changed to copper dressings for three to four weeks. Wound size and pain were assessed at baseline, week one and four. A cost analysis was also performed. All patients showed ≥50% wound size reduction within seven days, with full closure by week four. Mean pain scores dropped significantly from 4.75 to 0.25. Improved mobility and daily function were also reported. Treatment costs fell from £2,606 to £365 on average — an 86% reduction. The copper dressing used enhanced healing, lessened pain, improved mobility, shortened treatment time and reduced costs in these four hard-to-heal wounds which had been unresponsive to conventional care.