The Tissue Viability Service supports patients with non-healing wounds to access specialist nurse-led assessment and treatment. 

Patients accepted will receive a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan, which will either be delivered in a clinic, by the patient or carer in their own home or the plan will be shared with the healthcare professionals delivering patient care. 

The majority of service provision is delivered in clinics based in health centres. Domiciliary visits will be provided if the patient is housebound and is receiving care from the district nurses. This does not apply to nursing homes where the expectation is the registered nurses provide the routine/regular dressing changes. 

All patients for home visits must be referred to the District Nursing Service in the first instance.

All referrals will be triaged within 24 hours of being received (Monday to Friday 8-4pm), excluding bank or public holidays and weekends.

Patients are triaged based on the information provided within this referral form. The service aims to see routine referrals within 28 days.

CLCH community workforce can make referrals, primarily:

• North central division
• Royal Free Hospital, Barnet General, Chase Farm Hospital and Whittington Hospital
• North London Hospice and community palliative care
• Continuing care
• Care homes across Barnet

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• registered with a Barnet GP
• multiple category 2, single category 3 and 4 pressure ulcers
• deteriorating pressure ulcer
• moisture-associated skin damage
• leg ulcer
• non-healing wound
• fungating wound
• surgical wound
• non-healing surgical wound
• vulnerable skin
• negative-pressure wound therapy
• complex and/or hard to heal wounds, (including patients needing negative pressure wound therapy)*
• leg ulcer patients who can attend a tissue viability leg ulcer clinic until ulcers healed which may include supported self-care
• those requiring support and advice regarding pressure relieving equipment and wound management. 

Special considerations

• In line with CLCH trust policy, patients who are non-concordant with the recommended treatment plan will be discharged from the service. 

Exclusions

• patients who should be seen under an unplanned care stream such as A&E/UCC due to clinical concerns requiring urgent assessment and management e.g. cellulitis
• patients not registered with a Barnet GP (except for patients on CLCH bedded units and patients who have no fixed abode)
• patients who do not have a leg ulcer/wound or pressure ulcer
• patients under the age of 18 years old
• single appointments for suture/clip removal
• lymphoedema
• diabetic foot ulcers
• routine ABPIs (Ankle Brachial Pressure Index) for patients who do not have current or previous leg ulcers

How to Refer

Locations

Edgware Community Hospital

Finchley Memorial Hospital

Grahame Park Health Centre

Vale Drive Health Centre