Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to consider the effect on (a) people’s quality of life and (b) NHS resources of the cancellation and postponement of routine appointments to people with venous leg ulcers and other chronic wounds, in both the community and acute care settings; and if he will make a statement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients have been receiving appropriate support to manage their conditions independently. Clinicians report success in teaching patients and carers how to monitor and dress their wounds and apply compression therapies, including bandaging. The National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP) rapidly developed and published self-care advice to support these initiatives at the end of March. Some outpatient departments quickly implemented vascular hot clinics/emergency assessment clinics which offered daily access for the most critical of patients.

More consultations have been undertaken remotely and there has been an increase in flexible working allowing clinicians to visit patients at home or other community settings to enable access to appropriate therapeutic interventions.

In some areas, vascular nurse specialists from acute services who are independent non-medical prescribers have been provided with community prescription pads or been given access to other established supply systems (e.g. dressing schemes) which has enabled patients to get appropriate wound care products more quickly.