Tissue Viability Service (Newham)

In addition to providing a community service for patients with wounds at home the tissue viability team support colleagues working in The Trusts mental health settings in Newham, Tower Hamlets and City & Hackney, children’s services, in patient wards at East Ham Care Centre and nursing and residential homes in Newham. 

There are currently five Tissue Viability led leg ulcer clinics and three leg ulcer prevention clinics a week and one clinic for the management of lower limb oedema.  

The Tissue Viability Service are proud of their healing rates and recurrence rates for venous leg ulcers. Currently our healing rates are on average 86% in 12 weeks and recurrence rates are 2.4%. Nationally figures for healing rates are around 50% in 12 weeks and recurrence rates are reported as 24%. 

Recent Initiatives and Achievements

The Tissue Viability Service was the front-line submission in 2008 for the High Impact Actions ‘Your skin matters’ and were able to demonstrate a reduction in hospital admissions associated with pressure ulcers by 50% with a cost saving in excess of 59K. 

The team led on a QI Project in 20018 aimed to address the inequalities in the assessment and management of patients with leg ulcers receiving care at home was welcomed and supported by the district nursing teams. These teams have an increasing demand on their time and are expected to deliver a high-quality service. The project was a success and with the support of the tissue viability team new technologies were introduced which simplified leg ulcer assessment. 

In 2019 A qualitative research study was undertaken to explore the barriers and enablers to the implementation of evidence-based practice in pressure ulcer prevention and management in a community setting. The findings of this study have been published in Health and Social care in the community journal. 

The Tissue Viability work in collaboration with the Pressure ulcer Improvement facilitators in both Newham and Tower Hamlets Extended Primary Care Services supporting district nurses in the prevention and management of pressure ulcers.  

Preventing pressures sores developing involves collaboration with individuals, families and carers, as well as healthcare staff. The tissue viability team have supported the local authority in providing training and education for informal and formal carers working across the borough to raise awareness of pressure ulcer prevention and where to seek help. 

Self-referral

Referral Form

Wound Dressing Formulary