Leg ulcer service provision in NHS hospitals

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Wound Care Management
• Healthcare Service Delivery

Background:

• Leg ulcers are a common and debilitating condition requiring effective management.
• Compression therapy is a cornerstone treatment for venous leg ulcers, improving healing rates and patient outcomes.
• Inpatient care settings present unique challenges for consistent and effective compression therapy provision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the current availability and provision of compression therapy services for inpatients with leg ulcers within UK hospitals.
• To identify the extent of dedicated services and the general provision of compression therapy in secondary care settings.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted among healthcare professionals in the UK.
• The survey targeted delegates from the Wounds UK National Conference and wound care specialists via social media platforms.
• Data was collected on the presence of dedicated services and the provision of compression therapy for leg ulcer patients.

Main Results:

• A total of 101 responses were received from UK health professionals.
• 67.3% of respondents indicated that their hospitals lacked a dedicated service for inpatients with leg ulceration.
• Only 32% of hospitals reported providing compression therapy to these patients.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a substantial deficit in the provision of compression therapy for inpatients with leg ulcers in UK secondary care.
• Significant variations in service delivery across hospitals were identified, suggesting inconsistent patient care.
• Further research is recommended to elucidate the underlying reasons for these disparities in service provision.