Do you know how to spot and stop pressure ulcers?

Thursday 20 November is World Stop Pressure Ulcer Day... an opportunity for Wirral Community NHS Trust to raise awareness about pressure ulcers and share with you how you can spot and stop them.

Did you know that Christopher Reeve (superman) died because of heart problems associated with an infected pressure ulcer? Pressure ulcers are serious, distressing and can be painful but the overwhelming majority of them are preventable.

Pressure ulcers occur over bony parts of the body when there is reduced blood supply and nutrients to the skin. Anyone can develop a pressure ulcer but you're more at risk if you have:

• limited mobility (eg. in a wheelchair, recovering from an accident or surgery)
• a long term health condition which restricts blood flow (eg diabetes)
• poor nutrition
• aging skin which is more vulnerable to damage
• incontinence (moist skin is more vulnerable to infection)
  
  

Find out more about pressure ulcers - what to look for as well as advice and tips for preventing them by popping along to see some of our nurses at:

• St Catherine's Health Centre, Birkenhead, CH42 7HA, 9.00am – 1.30pm
• Eastham Clinic, Eastham, CH62 9AN, 1.00pm – 3.30pm
• Victoria Central Health Centre, Wallasey, CH44 5UF, 11.00am – 3.30pm
  
  

Along with examples of pressure relieving equipment, there will also be an opportunity at each place to try out our brand new pressure mapping tool so you can see where your pressure points are when you sit down.

Last Updated: Wednesday, 02 November 2016 14:54