Lipoedema affects 11% of women worldwide (Buck and Herbst, 2016) and has a significant physical and psychosocial impact. It commonly presents as a disproportionate distribution of body fat in the lower extremities — symptoms include tenderness, pain, bruising and large fat nodules. Treatment is often similar to lymphoedema management and includes decongestive therapy, compression garments and skin care. This article presents a patient case study. It looks at the physical and psychological impact of lipoedema on the patient and the significant improvements seen with the use of juxtafit compression garments. The patient’s treatment included the intervention of general practice nursing and tissue viability services, demonstrating the importance of multidisciplinary working.
In each issue of the Journal of General Practice Nursing, we investigate a topic currently affecting our readers. Here, Dr Lesley Holdsworth, Scottish government clinical lead for digital health and care, looks at: Digital working — what have we learned from Covid-19?
The human and economic burden of chronic wounds is increasing (Sen et al, 2009). In the United Kingdom alone, it is estimated that over 2.2 million wounds were treated by the National Health Service in 2012/13, at a cost of between £4.5 and £5.1 billion (Guest et al, 2015). Choice of wound dressing is therefore an important factor, not only in terms of comfort for the patient, but also in optimising clinical efficiency and thereby minimising treatment time and cost.
Sunlight exposure is the primary source of vitamin D in humans (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition [SACN], 2016), but vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide (Bouillon et al, 2019; Mendes et al, 2020). Measures to contain the recent spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to help prevent the Covid-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus may increase rates of vitamin D deficiency, as selfisolation is likely to prevent people from gaining adequate exposure to sunlight to meet their vitamin D requirement if they do not have a garden or balcony.
General practice’s unique position at the heart of the NHS is why it is so important that general practice nurses (GPNs) have the Freedom to Speak Up.
The current Covid-19 pandemic has raised the population’s reliance on the NHS, and on key roles such as general practice nurses (GPNs). The untapped potential of GPNs to lead and drive innovation has long been recognised, if not always by the nurses themselves (Hughes, 2006). NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) through the ten point action plan for general practice nursing (NHS England, 2017) and the CARE (connected, authentic, resilient, empowered) programme have recently played a key role in providing leadership development for GPNs. Indeed, new lead roles have emerged such as clinical directors of primary care networks (PCNs), primary care lead nurses, nurses who are partners in practice, and others leading on clinical specialities and workforce development within their PCNs. Now more than ever, it is important that GPNs are supported on their leadership journey, with a digital leadership support package.
The Covid-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges, particularly for the health service which has faced pressures like never before.
This, coupled with the breaking news that prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK (Prostate Cancer UK, 2020), means that it is now more crucial than ever that Prostate Cancer UK continues to support healthcare professionals managing prostate care.
Here, Jaqui Walker, chats about the highs and lows of general practice nursing and invites you to share your thoughts, frustrations and experiences.
Success!