Awareness week starts conversation on wound management

Wound Awareness Week runs from 15-21 July and this year’s theme ‘Let’s Talk About Wounds’ is encouraging people to start a conversation with their health professionals about wound healing and management.

Affecting roughly half a million people, chronic wounds cost the health system $3 billion each year.

Wounds Australia Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anne Buck says people aged over 65 years old are at higher risk of developing a chronic wound and with a growing Australian population, chronic wounds are becoming an increasing problem.

“With the current lack of awareness, many people don’t access the treatment they need and they suffer from their wound for much longer than they have to,” she says.

Ms Buck also says chronic wounds impact people’s lives in many ways.

Poor wound management can lead to physical and health complications, social and emotional issues and financial burden.

She notes “with the right treatment, a chronic wound can be healed.”

To avoid the issues associated with poor wound management, it is important to see your doctor if you notice pain, fluid, smell or the wound takes over 30 days to heal.

As part of the Wound Awareness Week, Wounds Australia are organising a number of initiatives to help start the conversation.

These include:

• A 5 Point Plan to Reduce the Burden of Chronic Disease, calling on the Government to support the treatment of chronic wounds
• 2500 promotional kits to be distributed in hospitals, pharmacies, aged care facilities and general practitioner surgeries all over Australia
• A series of videos to help raise awareness of venous leg ulcers, diabetic wounds and pressure injuries
• Information on the Wound Aware website
• An exclusive event called The Complexity of Wound Management, to be held in Queensland on 18 July to help inform health care professionals about wound care
• Local events organised by Wounds Australia members within local communities
• A competition where you can win a $150 Amazon voucher by simply posting a photo of yourself on social media, holding the competition sign (available on the Wound Aware website), tagging Wounds Australia and using the hashtag #letstalkaboutwounds

“We are encouraging health care professionals to get involved as they are in an ideal position to share their knowledge of chronic wounds with the general public,” Ms Buck says.

Wounds Australia are also inviting fellow Australians to share their experience with chronic wounds on social media.

More information on chronic wounds and wound management is available online.