A low-cost wound management system for primary care

The treatment and management of wounds is a significant burden for healthcare providers. A recent study found that the NHS treats an estimated 2.2 million wounds per year, with an annual cost of £5.3 billion. Nearly £1.2m of these costs resulted from hospital admissions and day cases, and a further £1.2m in drug prescriptions. Wound management is predominantly a nurse-led discipline and the absence of specialist experience results in 30% of wounds lacking differential diagnosis. A key problem is a lack of continuity caused by inconsistency in diagnosis, clinician and wound dressings, and a failure to follow approved guidelines. Improving these systems of care could produce significant clinical and economic benefits. We will address these issues through a novel, non-invasive diagnostic platform to assist in wound categorisation, treatment planning and monitoring of healing, designed specifically for non-specialist use in a primary care setting. This project will develop a new system based around Cadscan’s low-cost, high-resolution 3D imaging technology, combined with multi-spectral imagers to identify wound infection, and packaged in a compact handheld device. In a wider context, the socio-economic potential of this project is substantial. By enabling more consistent diagnoses and treatment it will contribute to lower healthcare costs, faster rates of healing, less incorrect use of antibiotics and greater quality of life for patients with long term health conditions.