'Look after your legs': patients' experience of an assessment clinic

Venous leg ulcers are a chronic, recurring condition and a major cause of morbidity, especially in older people. Two inner city district nursing teams initiated a weekly, nurse-led, leg ulcer assessment clinic, and a monthly support group for patients with healed or almost healed leg ulcers. The group supports and empowers patients with self-care 'look after your legs' health promotion messages. The support group uses a similar model to the expert patient programme (Department for Health, 2001). Patients in the group coined the unique name 'patient ambassador'. Patient ambassadors, with nursing support, are used to promote self care and lifestyle changes to members of the group to prevent recurrence of leg ulceration. The aim of the research reported here was to evaluate teh 'Look after Your Legs'(LAYL) service and the benefit to others of the patient ambassador role.