Fears for wound care patients after pandemic

Given the scale of wound prevalence, and the potential for wounds to have a lifechanging impact, it is imperative that wound care services are optimised to provide the best care possible for patients. In addition to the impact on patients, the provision of wound care services accounts for a substantial amount of NHS resources, costing £8.3 billion annually.¹ This total cost is approaching the combined annual NHS cost of managing osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, reported to be £10.2 billion in 2017.²

With the level of patient need in wound care rising, the amount of NHS resources needed for wound care is likely to increase. However, the NHS’s investment in wound care has traditionally received little attention compared to some other areas of illness and treatment. A new report, jointly produced by the Patients Association and Mölnlycke, argues that an improved focus on both patterns of patient need and how services are delivered holds potential for preventing avoidable increases in demand, as well as making more effective use of NHS resources.

The new report warns that around 28% of patients are managing their own wounds due to the pandemic.³ One in fifty people in Britain – around 3.8 million – currently rely on wound care services, but variation in standards means patients are having mixed experiences of care across the country.