NHS Islington...

Your local NHS

Tissue Viability Service

Who is the service is for?

Residents in the boroughs of Islington and Camden.

What does the service do?

The Tissue Viability Service (TVS) provides specialist advice and support on chronic wounds to healthcare providers within NHS Islington, Camden PCT and Camden and NHS Islington Foundation Trust.

This service provides specialist clinical advice based on:

• holistic assessments;
• recommendations for evidence-based care;
• research and audit;
• education and training; and
• the development of local and national clinical practice guidelines and policies for tissue viability.

How are patients referred to the service?

Patients can be referred to the service by the following healthcare professionals:

• District nursing teams
• Medical and nursing staff at St Pancras Hospital
• GPs and practice nurses
• Nursing home staff
• Secondary care medical and nursing staff

Any other member of a healthcare team may also refer a patient, however, this should be done through the named nurse or doctor in charge of the patient's care.

• Tissue Viability referral form

Other services that patients might benefit from

• Lymphoedema service
• Foot health (podiatry)
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Dermatology
• Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy services
• Diabetic services
• Vascular services
• REACH Intermediate Care Team

How you can help your leg ulcer to improve or heal faster

1. See a podiatrist about every three months so they can take good care of your feet and nails.
2. Wear sensible footwear.
3. Exercise your legs regularly to help keep the calf muscle working. Short walks are better than no walks at all!
4. Do regular foot and ankle exercises.
5. When resting, try to keep the level of your ankles above that of your heart.
6. At night, raise the foot of your bed up by about 4 inches (10cm).
7. Keep all appointments with your nurse or doctor. Phone your nurse or doctor about any problems or anxieties.
8. If you are overweight, do try to lose a few pounds. Extra weight makes more work for your poor veins. Visit our Your health section for advice on physical activity and health eating.
9. Eat a healthy diet containing plenty of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fish and meat. You may be referred to a dietician if you need further advice about this.
10. Do not disturb your bandages.
11. Avoid standing for long periods in one position – shift weight from one foot to the other.

Useful information

Venous leg ulcers

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068777/
Patient information leaflet
http://www.legulcerforum.org/patientsleaflets

Varicose veins

http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/varicose_veins http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/eczema_varicose

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068982/

Oedema

http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/oedema

Lymphoedema

http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/lymphoedema

Fungal nail infections

Patient information leaflet  

Referral form

Tissue Viability service referral form