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National award recognises the use of technology that is improving local wound care
Published on Mar 5, 2018
A high tech approach to chronic wound care that is transforming the lives of local people has won a national award.
Access to technology means difficult to treat or slow healing wounds can now be expertly assessed remotely and a treatment plan put together that can be carried out by the patient’s own practice nurse.
The telecare system has been developed by Longhand Data and used by expert wound healing clinicians at Healogics. It is currently in use at three North East Lincolnshire GP practices. Since its introduction, the average healing time for complicated wounds has fallen to just over four months. Before it was introduced, the average time was in excess of six months with no obvious signs of healing in severe cases with some patients requiring daily nursing visits.
Speeding up recovery time has also reduced costs in both nursing time and dressings, and as a result, the pilot was shortlisted for the national Cost Effective Wound Management Award.
The awards, hosted by the Journal of Wound Care, took place in London on March 2nd.
Local practice nurse Catherine Murphy said the system has made a big difference to patients who had previously spent many hours having their wounds treated.
“It has improved healing times and reduced the amount of hours patients have had to spend having their wounds dressed and treated,” said Catherine. “This is not only a good thing for the patient but it frees up nursing time to focus on other patients.”
Catherine attended the award ceremony with Julie Stanton from Healogics.
It is hoped the pilot will be extended in due course to other GP practices and district nursing teams in North East Lincolnshire.