June 2022 edition
Wound management is provided across all care settings in NSW. The focus of the Leading Better Value Care (LBVC) chronic wound management initiative is to improve the management of wounds that do not heal in a timely manner (less than 30 days). These are classed as chronic wounds. They include skin tears, pressure injuries, autoimmune/dermatological conditions, diabetic foot ulceration, compromised surgical wounds and leg ulcers.
With the introduction of the LBVC Standards for Wound Management in 2019, a Wound Taskforce and a Community of Interest have been established to progress the introduction of the Standards into routine clinical practice.
The Taskforce includes representatives from local health districts, specialty health networks, Ministry of Health and Pillar agencies. This year they will focus on three key initiatives for implementation– outlined below.
Chronic wound management is often complex and context‑specific. There is a need for collaboration across a range of disciplines and clinical settings.
The Wound self‑assessment tool will support health services to understand their service capacity and capability. It will assist in the development of action plans to meet the Standards. The process will facilitate collaboration and reflective discussion. Districts and networks are working towards completing this process in 2022.
The tool does not need detailed quantitative data sources to be completed. Rather it has guiding questions to reflect on processes and structures that are needed to meet the Standards.
Once completed, the self‑assessment tool should provide the basis for an action plan to address any gaps in service design and provision across multiple settings within the district.
Planning and identification of stakeholders
Gather and send information to stakeholders
Facilitate a district/network‑wide process to enable reflection and agree on the overarching self‑assessment, based on collated results
Develop and action plan.
Visit the Agency for Clinical Innovation webpage on the Wound self‑assessment tool
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The Agency for Clinical Innovation has been working with clinical educators to develop a Chronic Wound Management Capability Framework. The framework defines the knowledge, skills and behaviours required across the health workforce to ensure chronic wounds are optimally prevented and managed.
The capability framework considers capabilities across six domains of practice:
The Capability Framework will support individual clinicians and services to assess their capability and identify areas for development. It will also guide development of new educational and training resources to assist in building NSW health workforce that are leaders in chronic wound management and outcomes.
The Taskforce are also implementing a NSW Health Wound Care Formulary for our NSW clinicians. It will provide guidance by recommending appropriate products to progress wound healing. Using the formulary will improve experiences of providing and receiving wound care.
Wound product formularies are not new, with many districts having versions for local use. The NSW Health Wound Formulary will be a digital tool that is accessible via desktop and mobile devices. Users will be able to search and find different wound products as well as instructional resources such as application videos. The Formulary will be regularly reviewed and updated by wound specialists to ensure it includes emerging evidence and products.
The formulary is in its final stage of user acceptance testing and will be available later in 2022. If you would like to be included in the acceptance testing, please contact the team at MOH‑WoundFormulary@health.nsw.gov.au.
The Wound Care Formulary supports services to access wound products and equipment to enable the delivery of best practice care.