Best practice recommendations for the implementation of a DFU treatment pathway: What are the service delivery challenges in DFU care?

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are estimated to cost around £1
billion per year in the NHS alone (Kerr, 2017; Guest et al, 2018)
and represent a significant health challenge in the UK and
worldwide. Central to tackling the impact of DFUs in the UK is
the implementation of evidence-based practice.
A group of experts met to discuss the burden of DFUs and
the challenges facing service delivery of DFU care in the UK.
Based on their discussions and findings from the EXPLORER
study (Edmonds et al, 2018), the group recommended
adding evidence-based local wound care as a new pillar to
DFU standard of care. A fast-track pathway for diabetic foot
ulceration for implementation in the UK was also developed
using the UrgoStart (TLC-NOSF) range as part of the standard
of care.
The goal of this document is to provide clinicians with
information and recommendations to improve healing rates and
reduce healing time of DFUs.