In an address to MPs on the importance of adequate wound care levels for long-term hospital patients, the Tissue Viability Nurses Association (TVNA) pointed out that the cost burden of pressure ulcers to the NHS – estimated to be as much as £2.1 billion per year – could be significantly reduced with intelligent investment in trained staff and new medical technology.
It is believed that as many as 40 cases per 1,000 NHS admissions are affected by pressure ulcers, particularly amongst those patients who have restricted movement or are bed-bound for long periods. The most basic ulcers cost the NHS between £38 and £92 per day for its care and treatment and this cost increases the more the pressure ulcer develops and starts damaging muscle, tissue and bone.
“Prevention rather than treatment is the answer to lessening the burden of pressure ulcers in the NHS” said Martyn Butcher, chair of the TVNA, who addressed MPs. “It is essential that politicians and healthcare providers work together to tackle the problems of service inequality and postcode healthcare provision, to ensure that the NHS is robust enough to meet the needs of the population.”
He added that current tissue management treatments including vacuum wound care technology were allowing individuals to self-manage pressure ulcers and return home more quickly – and in many cases return to work.
