Specialist clinic improving the lives of patients with leg ulcers

17 September, 2024

Patients in Arfon and Anglesey with hard-to-heal leg ulcers are benefitting from more targeted treatment and support thanks to a new specialist service.

Most leg ulcers heal quickly when given the correct treatment, but a small number are highly resistant to healing, which can impact a patient’s health and wellbeing in many ways.

Since the service launched in March 2023, the Arfon and Môn Leg Ulcer and Complex Wound service has supported several patients back to better health who have lived with venous leg ulcers for many years, giving them their independence back and increasing their quality of life.

Simon Williams, 81, from Benllech was one of the first patients to be referred into the service and he has praised the team for the care he has received.

He said: “I fell over in my garden just before COVID and unfortunately ulcers developed on my legs from the cuts. Luckily my wife is an ex nurse and she was able to treat them for some time but unfortunately they just weren’t getting any better.

“I found myself struggling for a while but my GP practice then told me this new service had been set up and I was referred, from then on everything changed.

“I was assessed and a treatment plan was put in place for me, I received compression therapy which made a huge difference and I immediately could see me heading in the right direction – four months later my ulcers healed. It was like a miracle!

“I now wear the pressure stockings which prevents the sores from returning but I feel so much better. I feel really well supported by the team and they are always there for support when I need it.”

The team is made up of three specialist nurses, Sarah Thomas, Lucy Mclldowie and Clare McMullan, as well as Health Care Assistant Sioned Davies, who have received more than 160 referrals since the service was established.

Clare McMullan, Leg Ulcer and Complex Wound Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “By providing up to date thorough diagnostics combined with holistic care we are able to commence patients on the right treatment plan in a timely manner.

“By instigating compression therapy at first contact, and carrying out regular thorough wound hygiene to achieve an optimum wound healing environment, we have been able to vastly reduce healing times.

“We are passionate about ongoing care as venous disease is a chronic condition. We provide ongoing support and education to ensure patients are best equipped to prevent reoccurrence of leg ulcers and other related venous conditions.

“We are confident by healing these ulcers under specialist care it will have a continued positive impact for patients in our area."

Lucy McIldowie, Lead Nurse for the service, added: “The combination of specialist care and continuity has really helped many patients, like Simon, who have had leg ulcers for many years heal within just a few weeks to a few months under our services care.

“The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recognise the benefit of services such as ours in improving healing rates of leg ulcers, with just 45 per cent healing in six months under other community treatment settings versus 70 per cent healing in six months within specialist leg ulcer clinic settings.

“On behalf of the team, we are always so happy to see patients like Simon who have done so well and healed – it’s really wonderful to see how our service has helped improve their life and mental health.”

Since its establishment, the service has been welcomed by local GPs in the area it serves, Dr Dyfrig ap Dafydd from Coed y Glyn Surgery in Llangefni, said: “GP practice nurses are very experienced at managing initial wounds and sores but for chronic or persistent ulcers it's been extremely useful to be able to deliver more specialist "hospital" type treatments in the community closer to home. We've seen very impressive results and hope to see schemes of this type continue and expand.”

There are similar services dedicated to complex leg ulcer management across North Wales, such as the Primary Care Treatment Centre in Llandudno where patients who require complex leg ulcer management can be referred into.