This area of the toolkit aims to raise awareness of the recommendations and implementation strategies for clinicians, whether working within in-patient departments, primary care, secondary care, specialist delivery, or in the community. Here you’ll find information on how to change clinical practice to support the delivery of leg and foot ulcer care in line with the National Wound Care Strategy Programme recommendations, referral information for primary care staff, treatment guidance for clinical staff from podiatry and tissue viability nurses through to vascular and lymphodema service providers.

Finding your way around the resources

This page is structured in two ways. The people, process, technology change framework segments content by theme and the content is then further grouped under tabs by topic. You can jump to the theme using the links below and then tab through the topics. There are also links that will bring you back to the top of the page.

People

The people element is focused on supporting all staff who are helping patients with wounds. Resources include free online training, and example templates to help you to understand training gaps,  identify essential skills knowledge and behaviours, in addition to case studies sharing the experiences of other organisations.

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Process

This section includes information to help local services to implement a new evidence-based model, based on the leg and foot ulcer recommendations of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. Here you will find resources spanning a range of topics including information to support business case development, equality health impact assessment examples, patient and public involvement and engagement examples, and quality improvement information.

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Technology

The technology element of the framework focuses on the tools and technologies that can help you make and support change. This includes things like project management software, wound management digital systems, communication tools, and training platforms. The right technology can make it easier to implement and support new pathways as well as track progress.

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People

More resources coming soon.

In the meantime you’ll find people-based resources on the health and care providers page.

DHSC Delegated healthcare activities: Guiding principles for health and social care in England.

Department of Health and Social Care and Skills for Health guiding principles for the delegation of healthcare activity from regulated healthcare professionals to care workers and personal assistants across a range of social care settings.

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Practice based examples

Norfolk and Waveney: Early Intervention Pathway Training Video: Wound care

Norfolk and Waveney ICB and community providers have jointly developed a training video to help health professionals improve how they care for patients with lower leg wounds.

Watch the video
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Process

NWCSP and Wounds UK guidance

Red flag guidance (NWCSP)

NWCSP have listed ‘red flag’ symptoms which have been identified as requiring immediate attention from a relevant specialist to reduce the risk of rapid deterioration or serious harm.

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Vascular referral forms (NWCSP)

Example forms, created by the NWCSP, Royal College of Surgeons and Vascular Society, to support clinicians in making appropriate, timely referrals to vascular services for people with lower limb arterial disease and venous disease.

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Clinical engagement analysis: As-is mapping

Example of a clinical engagement analysis and as-is mapping tool used by provider sites to reach out to stakeholders and system map ahead of implementing the NWCSP recommendations.

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Wounds International skin tone guidance: Symptoms and terminology

Wounds UK developed guidance to improve outcomes for wound care and healing for all skin tones.

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Wounds UK skin tone guidance: Challenges

Wounds UK developed guidance to improve outcomes for wound care and healing for all skin tones.

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Wounds UK skin tone guidance: Best practice

Wounds UK developed guidance to improve outcomes for wound care and healing for all skin tones.

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Wounds UK skin tone guidance: Evidence

Wounds UK developed guidance to improve outcomes for wound care and healing for all skin tones.

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Practice based examples

Norfolk and Waveney: Early Intervention Pathway for lower leg and foot

Norfolk and Waveney ICB and community providers example of a lower limb pathway used to deliver NWCSP recommended wound care immediate and necessary care.

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NHS England guidance

Case study: Conducting a patient survey to inform the codesign of a leg ulcer service (NWCSP)

A case study developed by NWCSP about conducting a patient survey to inform the co-design of a leg ulcer service. Includes the survey as a downloadable resource.

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NHS patient and public participation policy

NHS-developed patient and public involvement and engagement policy.

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NHS PPIE reimbursement policy

NHS developed patient and public involvement and engagement reimbursement policy.

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Understanding best practice on patient and public engagement for data partnerships (NHS)

NHS-developed guidance on patient and public involvement and engagement best practice.

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TWC guidance

PPIE guidance for digital technology (Health Innovation Network)

Health Innovation Network guidance for patient and public involvement and engagement when implementing digital technologies.

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Health Innovation Network involvement and co-production strategy

Health Innovation Network strategy for patient and public involvement and engagement.

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PPIE driver diagram (Transforming Wound Care)

Transforming Wound Care central team developed patient and public involvement and engagement driver diagram.

Download diagram

Patient engagement toolkit (Health Innovation East)

Patient communication toolkit developed by Health Innovation East to support areas developing patient and public involvement and engagement in the implementation of the NWCSP recommendations.

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NWCSP shared care pathway and diary

NWCSP created documents to support self care of wounds. Includes assessment of whether shared care is appropriate, wound care plan and wound diary.

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Compression leaflet for patients (NWCSP)

Patient leaflet created by NWCSP explaining importance of compression for venous leg ulcers

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Taking a photo of your wound (NWCSP)

Patient leaflet created by NWCSP explaining why patients might be asked to take photos of their wound and tips for taking photos.

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NWCSP supply chain and distribution guidance

Guidance developed by NWCSP on current routes of supply and distribution for wound management products.

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Technology

NWCSP digital wound management digital systems policies

Recommendations developed by NWCSP to promote and standardise the practice of taking and using wound images. The recommendations aim to promote adequate mechanisms for safeguarding and quality control and to encourage the use of digital wound images to support learning. Includes practical support for the development of local standard operating procedures.
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Taking a photo of your wound (NWCSP)

Patient leaflet created by NWCSP explaining why patients might be asked to take photos of their wound and tips for taking photos.
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Further information

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