Introduction
The tissue viability team provides a specialist service to patients with a wide variety of complex wounds including pressure ulcer prevention and management, prevention and management of leg ulceration, management of traumatic injuries, and complex non healing wounds. The team also provide management of dynamic equipment across the City to facilitate discharge into a persons home and manage prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in the community.
Who is it for?
Any person with a complex wound can be referred to this service by the nursing professional who is looking after them, if they are on the following list. We will then provide them with either telephone advice or face-to-face advice (in this case we will arrange a joint consultation with you and your clinician).
- District Nurses
- Community Children’s Nurses
- BCHC inpatient unit Nurses (including HMP Winson Green)
- Private Nursing Home Nurses
- Practice Nurses (or GPs) can also refer to the West Heath Leg Ulcer Clinic, but only regarding wounds to the lower leg and only from practices in the South of the City.
Who provides it?
The service is provided Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm by a team of specialist nurses, working across the city. Referrals are via fax and can be made by a healthcare professional.
What happens at your appointment?
Tissue Viability referral: Following referral, a TVN will contact the referring nurse and discuss clinical need. A decision will be made if a joint visit required and a mutually agreed appointment arranged.
Leg Ulcer Clinic referral (South Birmingham GPs only): Following referral, a TVN will contact the referring nurse and discuss clinical need. Following this a letter will be sent out with an appointment for the leg ulcer clinic. This is held on a weekly basis at West Heath Hospital.
Information for carers / family members:
A referral needs to be made by a healthcare professional. For initial support, your GP/Practice Nurse or District Nurse should be contacted
For professionals:
Referrals are made using the following forms:
Equipment
Dynamic mattress referral form discharge - to be used by any inpatient setting wanting to discharge a patient into their own home
Dynamic mattress referral form community - to be used for any patient who is already in their own home and requires dynamic equipment.
Email the completed referral form to tissue.viability6@nhs.net or in an emergency fax 0121 466 3611.
Joint Visit
The TV referral form is to be used for all joint visit requests with the Tissue Viability team.
Email the completed referral form to
tissue.viability6@nhs.net or in an emergency fax 0121 466 3611.
Leg Ulcer Clinic
The Leg Ulcer form is to be used by South Birmingham GPs only to refer to the specialist leg ulcer assessment clinic.
Email the completed referral form to tissue.viability6@nhs.net or in an emergency fax 0121 466 3611.
