Pressure sores, also known as pressure ulcers or bed sores are a major cause of unnecessary or avoidable illness and death amongst long term hospital patients and residents of aged care homes. The effective prevention, control and early treatment of pressure sores should be an important goal for all hospital and residential aged care home administrators. Where the development of […]
Cardiff’s Little Known Contribution to Pressure Sore Control
A Complete Guide to Pressure Sores and Ulcers
Pressure sores usually develop when the skin in an area on the skin is damaged due to constant friction and pressure. These commonly takes place when someone is confined to a chair or bed and are unable to move due to an illness, frailty due to age or a disability. The important thing about this medical condition is it is […]
The Impact of Covid-19 on Pressure Sore Mitigation and Prevention
It is now a little more than two years since the Covid-19 pandemic was declared by the World Health Organisation. Vaccination and new drugs have reduced the effects of the virus and relieved stress on the NHS and residential care homes where some of the more serious outcomes of Covid-19 were (and still are) experienced. In the early stages of […]
Annual Report Highlights Link Between Covid-19 Pandemic and Neglect in West Berkshire Care Homes
An increase in instances of neglect in some West Berkshire care homes has been highlighted in the latest annual report released by the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board. The cases of neglect have not been blamed solely on the staffing issues caused by the series of waves of Covid-19, but the report does stress that it has caused […]
Near Death Experience Because of an Untreated Pressure Sore
There are many heart rending stories about ordinary people whose lives are turned upside down by contracting pressure sores. These sores should never develop if proper care and attention is paid by those who were entrusted to care for them. In most cases, the victims of pressure sores are those who are least able to stand up for themselves or […]
Bedsores the Main Factor in ONS Survey of Unnecessary Care Home Deaths
According to data obtained from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), deaths from bedsore related health problems outnumber any other cause of death amongst care home residents over the last few years. The figures were released from ONS data on request from the Guardian newspaper* as part of an investigation into the state of care home management at the end […]
BBI SEM Scanner Reduces Pressure Ulcer Incidence by 86 Percent
It is unfortunate that the care provided in hospitals and care centres has never been quite good enough to avoid the development of pressure sores. It only takes just a little more care and attention from a hospital worker that could help to reduce the incidence of pressure sores amongst those confined to beds and who are unable to help […]
Spinal Injury Patient Awarded Half a Million Pounds Because of Pressure Sore Negligence
An elderly man who was admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s spinal injury unit because of a severe spinal cord injury has just received 475,000 pounds in compensation. It was determined that negligence at the hospital, as well as the Royal London Hospital immediately beforehand, was responsible for the development of pressure sores which severely impacted on the man’s ability to […]
Digital Mobility Monitoring Could Assist With Preventing Pressure Ulcers
A report published recently by the European Commission on preventing pressure ulcers states that 4-17% of patients are exposed to some degree to the effects of pressure ulcers and 44-50% of these are preventable. There are two key factors that are currently being reviewed in relation to pressure ulcers. One of these is that currently £1.4-2.1bn, or 4% of spending […]
Stop Pressure Ulcer Day Set for November 15th
The annual ‘Stop Pressure Ulcer Day’ will occur on November 15th. It’s a day when everyone can become involved with a serious but preventable health issue that affects both old and young who have to lie or sit for long periods because they are unable to move sufficiently to prevent pressure on a part of their body. The European Pressure […]
Can Ending Pyjama Paralysis Help to Reduce the Incidence of Bed Sores?
Britain’s chief nursing officer thinks that getting elderly patients dressed and out of their hospital beds each day would help to reduce a number of health problems inherent in immobility, including bed sores. A pilot scheme has already run for 70 days in which patients were encouraged to get out of bed every day, get dressed and move around as […]
Positive Pressure Sore Outcomes at NHS Trust Hospital
Recently nurses at the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation have had a good reason to celebrate. In the last 19 months there have been no reports of patients suffering from severe pressure sores. In the department at the hospital which is responsible for the care of elderly and frail patients over the last 584 day no patient has […]