Bandages: indications for use and Drug Tariff status

Community nurses need to have an up-to-date knowledge of which bandages are available on NHS prescription (i.e. on Drug Tariff) so that they can select the most appropriate bandage for their patient from those currently available. It seems that, for many years, both doctors and nurses have selected bandages for their patients without any clear knowledge of how the materials in the bandage will perform or what effect they will have (McCollum, 1992). Ideally, the nurse would first carry out an accurate assessment of the wound and then use this information to select an appropriate bandage, based on a full knowledge of its components, indications for use, and correct application technique. A bandage that is applied incorrectly can cause serious tissue damage. This article presents an up-to-date guide to the bandages currently available on Drug Tariff. However, since the Drug Tariff status of wound care products is constantly changing, community nurses need to keep up to date with the changes if they are to provide optimum care for their patients.