November 21, 2019 is International Stop Pressure Ulcer Day.

Pressure ulcers are a key indicator of the quality and experience of patient care. Despite progress since 2012 in the management of pressure ulcers, they remain a significant healthcare problem. Treating pressure ulcers costs the NHS more than £1.4 million every day.

Many pressure ulcers are preventable, so when they do occur, they can have a profound impact on the overall wellbeing of patients and can be both painful and debilitating. Preventing them will improve care for all vulnerable patients.

See the message from Oxford Health Community Services clinical director Pete McGrane.

The Stop the Pressure campaign was originally launched by NHS Midlands and East as part of their ambition to make life better for patients. The campaign is now managed by NHS England and NHS Improvement and forms part of a key ambition to support the improvement of standards of safe care.

The campaign was rolled out nationally in November 2016 to coordinate and support a sustained reduction in pressure ulcers. This is an ambitious target but achievable with the support from front line staff, other colleagues and patients.

See the Stop the Pressure website for resources for tissue viability nurses to increase professional and public awareness about pressure ulcers.