NHS Forth Valley – Tissue Viability

The Tissue Viability Service is a nurse-led specialist support and advisory service.

The Service does not directly treat patients buts work with health and care staff across the Forth Valley area to provide expert advice and support in the prevention and management of tissue wounds, with specific focus on patients with complex and/or problematic wounds. This is supported through a wide range of educational programmes, policy development as well as national and local initiatives.

The aim of the Service is to guide and support health and care staff to achieve the delivery of high quality, holistic wound care for people in local hospitals, health centres, care homes and prisons as well as those being cared for in their own homes and other community settings.

Patient Information

Wounds

Pressure Ulcers

Lower Limb

Learning & Education

What is Tissue Viability?

Working directly with patients and health care professionals, the Tissue Viability Service provides clinical expertise and advice on both wound prevention and wound healing.

Our overall goal is to ensure that any patient, who has a wound or is at risk of developing wounds, receives the best care possible to help prevent wounds from occurring, support healing of any wounds which do develop and help prevent them from recurring.

The Services does this either through specialist assessment and treatment plans and/ or by providing education and support to health and care staff to ensure the assessment and care provided is in line with national best practice.

When should you refer to the Service?

The Service aids and support all healthcare professionals who are involved in the management of:

Complex wounds – chronic non healing wounds, surgical wounds.
Pressure ulcers, Grade 3 and above
Malignant wounds
Leg ulcers
Chronic oedema
Wounds requiring conservative sharp debridement
Equipment needs of wound care patients

Not all patients who have a wound will require specialist advice from the Tissue Viability Service.

You may need support of the service if you:

Have had a non-healing wound for more than six weeks
Are concerned about a rapidly deteriorating wound despite treatment
Notice damage to your skin caused by prolonged periods of sitting or lying down known as pressure damage. For example: sore or painful, red or black areas of skin over vulnerable areas such as bony prominences.

Please contact the main health care professional involved in your care, such as your GP or Practice Nurse, to discuss if a referral to our service might be appropriate.

Referral Process

NHS Referrals (Staff Only): Tissue Viability Referrals

Care home referrals: Care Home Tissue Viability Referral Form

What happens after a referral?

Upon the receipt of the referral, and in discussion with your main health care professional, the Servic will undertake a specialist nursing assessment.

In many cases, they can offer specialist advice and management plan to health care staff over the phone, or via email, without the need for face-to-face consultation.

Sometimes it may be necessary for patients to visit the Service and, if this is the case, arrangements would be made with the health care professional who completed the initial referral.

The Service is based at Falkirk Community Hospital, but can provide advice and support to patients in their own homes, community hospitals, GP Practices, care homes or prisons throughout Forth Valley.

In many cases, there is no need for further follow up after the initial assessment and advice, however, where necessary, the Service remain in contact with individual patients and undertake further reviews.