Mepore Ultra and Alldress: primary and secondary dressings

Expenditure on wound care continues to rise in the UK as new products and innovations are introduced. Nurse specialists in tissue viability are at the forefront of many of these advances and therefore it is vital that they consider both the clinical and economic benefits of each new treatment. In this article, the authors use a case study methodology to evaluate primary and secondary wound dressings. The aim was to focus on the opportunity for reducing overall costs in wound management without compromising clinical outcomes. Given the initial results observed there appears to be ample scope for a debate within the tissue viability specialty with regard to achieving best value for money in wound care. The authors suggest that the time has come to consider this area in greater detail and depth.