Table 6

Annual amount of National Health Service resource use attributable to managing 3.8 million patients with a wound (thousands)

AbscessBurnDiabetic foot ulcerLeg ulcer (arterial)Leg ulcer (mixed)Leg ulcer (unspecified)Leg ulcer (venous)Open woundPressure ulcerSurgical woundTraumaUnspecifiedAll wounds
District/community nurse visits1069.312124.0110 443.18895.384411.416093.1717 459.02797.345789.242791.44234.972305.3954 413.86
Healthcare assistant visits1111.381283.9110 641.731020.074671.186946.8117 619.78804.153839.823047.33238.162423.0853 647.40
Practice nurse visits745.32484.973428.04187.591938.341278.8414 461.10545.161128.811217.10290.622356.7428 062.63
GP office visits632.13382.272436.59115.971173.091102.649855.13497.201196.00983.00292.531424.0320 090.58
Dressings7383.465580.8951 475.284007.1719 817.9226 030.0879 863.796759.119467.0427 172.854028.2522 913.59264 499.43
Compression bandaging/hosiery160.3262.52588.140.001691.43258.8527 259.29239.700.00260.190.00407.9130 928.35
Prescribed medication827.59235.792948.13242.171473.181787.045498.12641.181760.41922.26177.911359.5517 873.33
Hospital outpatient visits with a nurse171.46171.49583.1920.47709.31190.113672.3343.820.00286.8618.26600.076467.37
Accident and emergency attendances57.1546.44150.7410.2347.7419.01248.9730.4140.3257.9313.2335.83758.00
Hospital admissions without surgery24.0117.8619.770.003.4119.0162.2433.9826.8860.7423.3078.81370.01
Hospital outpatient visits with a physician/surgeon18.290.0061.786.8210.2328.5241.5014.3140.3240.1818.265.37285.57
GP home visits5.727.1514.830.0017.040.0062.245.3740.3211.211.8924.18189.95
Diagnostic tests1.143.5717.300.0030.6947.530.003.580.0014.022.8323.29143.95
Ambulance services2.290.009.890.003.410.0041.490.000.004.670.005.3767.12
Hospital admissions with surgery4.573.574.950.000.000.000.000.000.0034.573.460.0051.12
Specialist nurse visits*0.000.0017.300.0010.230.000.000.0013.440.930.003.7445.64
Podiatrist visits2.290.009.8913.6417.040.000.000.8913.441.870.320.0059.38
Day cases1.140.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.001.870.000.903.91
  • *Includes tissue viability nurses and diabetic nurse specialists.

  • GP, general practitioner.