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 on health, is going on the treatment of pressure ulcers in Britain alone. The second is how can the prevention of pressure ulcers be more cost effective?
The incidence of pressure ulcers isn’t the same internationally. While the incidence in Britain is allegedly 4.51% so far in 2018, in Germany in 2016 the incidence was just 0.4%. It was also revealed that in some British hospital departments it reached a level of between 7 and 38%.
International experts have recommended that anyone who enters hospital should be subjected to risk assessment. This should be based on the mobility or immobility at the time of the patient. Once this has been determined, an individual care plan should be put in place to help minimise a pressure ulcer developing.
It’s important that anyone who carries out a risk assessment is trained to do so and is able to use one of the risk scales available, such as the Braden, Norton or Waterloo scales. Unfortunately, a 2015 study found that up to 30% of patients are judged incorrectly in relation to their immobility. This is because it was assumed they could reposition themselves without help while asleep but in fact they weren’t able to do so.
There has been a rise in serious pressure sores throughout Welsh Health Boards by an alarming 500 per cent over the last four years and action has been called before the situation gets even worse. Something has obviously gone wrong in Wales for grade three and four pressure sores to increase from 184 in 2014 to 1,119 last year. The highest incidence of bed sores recorded was by the Health Boards of Betsi Cadwaladr and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University.
If you or one of the members of your family has suffered from treatable pressure sores while in a medical facility you may have the right to file for personal injury compensation from the person or institution that failed to provide the duty of care required by law.