Journal of Community Nursing

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JCN Supplement 2016 3
Editorial
Within community healthcare services
there is an ongoing drive to improve
clinical efficiency and cost-effectiveness,
while providing high quality care (NHS England,
2014). Patients with leg ulcers are a significant part
of this drive and compression therapy is required to
aid the healing of venous leg ulceration. However,
compression is regularly underutilised (Harding et
al, 2015), and even experienced clinicians can find it
hard to achieve correct compression levels in bandage
systems (Protz et al, 2014).
When graduated multilayer bandaging was the
only routine compression system available it was widely accepted as the gold
standard. However, patients can find it bulky and uncomfortable A new tool in the
treatment of venous leg ulcers is the juxta wrap range, which is easy to apply and
has a built-in pressure system to ensure correct compression is applied. Effective
compression can be maintained throughout 24 hours and the instantly adjustable
device allows patients to self-care and return to leading normal active daily lives.
juxtacures™ recently won the‘most innovative product’category at theWorld Union
of World Healing Societies’conference in Florence.
Following ulcer healing, preventing recurrence is another challenge for patients,
who have to understand that wearing compression is a lifelong commitment.
Compression is the mainstay of treatment here and is required to prevent ulcer
recurrence and skin breakdown. For those patients who are unable to apply
conventional compression garments, juxtalite™ is an easy alternative, with the
safety of a built-in pressure system.
Similarly, any community nurse understands that effective wound healing
requires wound bed preparation. Dead and contaminated tissue harbours bacteria
and is a barrier to healing.While there are a number of debridement techniques
available, one easy and effective method of physical debridement, which is simple
to use without specialist training, is a premoistened debridement cloth, such as
UCS™, which can also be used by patients themselves between nurse visits.These
cloths offer simple cleansing and debridement of wounds and the surrounding
skin without the need for water, extra surfactant or buckets.
Overall, treating leg ulcers plays a large part in the daily life of community
and district nurses and I am sure you will find some innovative products in this
supplement to help you and your patient along their journey to healing and
remaining healed.
Sue Elvin, consultant district nurse, Queen’s Nurse, CNWL, Camden
Journal of Community Nursing
Managing director
Nicola Rusling
Publisher
Binkie Mais
Editor
Jason Beckford-Ball
Business director
Alec O’Dare
07535 282827
Sales manager
Sam Ciotkowski
©Wound Care People Limited 2016
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George’s Elm Lane, Bidford on Avon,
Alcester B50 4JS
ISSN 0263 4465
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All rights reserved. No part of
this Journal of Community Nursing
supplement may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system or transmitted by
any means electronic or mechanical,
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prior written permission of Wound Care
People Limited.
Opinions expressed in the articles are those of
the authors and do not necessarily reflect those
of Wound Care People Limited. Any products
referred to by the authors should only be used
as recommended by manufacturers’data sheets.
Leg ulcer treatment
requires the right tools
Harding K and the Expert Working Group
(2015) Simplifying venous leg ulcer
management. Available online: www.
woundsinternational.com
NHS England (2014) NHS FiveYear Forward
View. Available online:
(accessed 18 April, 2016)
Protz K, Heyer K, Dorier M, et al (2014) JDDG
12(9):794–801
This supplement is sponsored by an
educational grant from medi UK