100 days without pressure sores at Lancashire Care hospital

100 days without pressure sores at Lancashire Care hospital

During ‘Stop the Pressure Week’ this week (13-18 November), Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Longridge Community Hospital Ward has been praised by senior members of the Trust for achieving 100 days without patients developing  new pressure sores.

Pressure sores, also unknown as bed sores or pressure ulcers, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue that can happen to anyone but usually affect people confined to bed or who sit in a chair or wheelchair for long periods of time, especially in hospitals or care homes.

Michaela Toms, at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Pressure ulcers can be both painful and debilitating and can have a profound impact on a person’s overall wellbeing. It is great that our Longridge Ward has gone over 100 days without new pressure sores developing. This is a fantastic achievement for our Trust and staff who have been working extra hard to ensure quality care for our patients. Our React to Red strategy is founded on practical prevention advice and early detection, and since its introduction we have been working hard to minimise the risk of pressure ulcers by improving processes. Having no pressure ulcers on all of our wards is a realistic aim and the team at Longridge have exhibited our Trust values in making this happen.”

Longridge Community Hospital Ward is a 15-bed inpatient facility used for non-acute patients who require either post-surgical care, medical care, rehabilitation or palliative care. Across England, nearly 700,000 patients are affected by pressure ulcers each year. According to NHS Improvement, avoidable pressure ulcers are a key indicator of the quality and experience of patient care.