Chronic venous leg ulcer care – are we missing a vital piece of the jigsaw?

Abstract

This project explored the lived experiences of patients with leg ulcers to ascertain impact on their quality of life. The aim was to develop a new Leg Ulcer Consultation Template (LUCT). Unstructured interviews were undertaken. Themes raised as significant were incorporated into a checklist and used to assess the extent and depth of exploration during the consultations. Several key themes were identified, including the dominance of pain. Observations revealed that issues emphasised as important by participants were not raised during consultations. A new consultation template was developed. The results of this study reveal that participants have concerns far beyond their actual wound care. Application of the new consultation template may go some way to redress the balance of the consultation.