The Department of Health is to launch the second edition of the Isle of Man’s Wound Formulary on Friday, 11th May with a day long event at the Isle of Man Hospice’s Seminar Room between 10am and 7pm. This is an all Island initiative which has been created by the Wound Action Group. Members of this group represent all healthcare sectors on the Island. All those with an interest in wound management or those who require wound management are welcome to attend where they’ll be able to find out more information and meet representatives of the companies who have products in the formulary.
The Island’s first Wound Formulary, which was launched in 2007, is a concise pocket-size document for all healthcare professionals involved in wound management and is used to ensure consistency of care that is based on best practice. The formulary itself was conceived by the Island’s Wound Action Group (WAG), which continues to meet monthly. Development of the second edition of the formulary began in 2009 when the WAG conducted a survey, followed by an audit of its use in 2010. The findings of the survey and audit were presented to the Clinical Governance teams for Primary Care and Noble’s Hospital as well as the committees within the Department of Health responsible for the approval of new treatments. As a result of the findings, advancements in wound management and dressings, and changes to best practice, a second edition of the formulary was devised and approved for use.
Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK, said: “Many people actually tend not to realise how advanced wound management is and that treatments and technology in this area are constantly evolving. I think perhaps people can sometimes think of wound management as simply using a plaster or bandage – treatments that have been around for decades; but this is too simplistic a view. Technology rapidly advances and the development of new dressings, anti-microbials and the use of silver in healing are just some examples of this. Wound management is a specialist area, and where wounds become chronic, such as leg ulcers, it’s vital that we constantly review the treatments available, whilst moving with the times and technology and ensuring value for money – the formulary allows us to do this consistently right across the healthcare system.”
The second edition of the formulary provides revised details of approved wound dressings, as well as advice and guidance on the assessment process, decision making and treatment plans. A flow chart has also been added to advise practitioners on how they can deal with wounds that won’t heal. Six products have been removed from the new formulary and four have been added.
Pam Fulton, Tissue Viability Specialist Nurse and member of WAG said: “We’re aware that wound dressings are an expensive commodity and how the Health budget is spent and ensuring value for money is the responsibility of all healthcare workers. The need for an Island-wide Wound Formulary was obvious; not only to spend money wisely but to provide the best service to the patient.
“Research into the field of tissue viability is not as robust as other areas of healthcare as there are many variables involved in healing. Because of the paucity of comparative randomised controlled trails of wound dressings, practitioners involved in this field have in the past been confused as to the most effective dressing to use. Their choices have historically been made by which article they have read or which dressing company representative has visited the Island. This resulted in practitioners using personal choice which may not have been the most effective in terms of patient outcome or monetary terms. We were not all ‘singing from the same song book’. Patients were left wondering which dressing would be placed on their wound and why. There was an urgent need to address this to streamline the products being used and to ensure they were being used correctly and at the right stage of healing.
“Four years is a long time in healthcare, so it became clear that we needed to update the first edition formulary and we are very pleased with the second edition which has been honed and will continue to ensure first class care for patients. We can’t stand still however, things will continue to change in the field of wound management, and preparation for the third edition of the formulary will start in 2013. We appreciate being allowed to add four new products to the formulary which will enhance wound healing and will be extremely helpful to the practitioners and patients who use them. The launch on May 11th is open to everyone who would like to come along and it is hoped we will see members of the public and patients there as well as healthcare practitioners.”
