Patient and staff experience of supported self-management information and education for lower limb wound care during a pandemic

Background: The drive for patients to be actively involved in their own healthcare received significant attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. For patients living with wounds, shared care usually encompasses aspects of care planning, and wound care tasks, but the suddenness of the pandemic meant many patients were unsure how to do this sufficiently. Objectives: The aim of this project was to explore experiences of shared wound care during a pandemic from a patient and healthcare professional perspective. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 25 patients living with wounds and five informal carers. A healthcare professional focus group (n=5) explored experiences of providing shared care information to patients. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The patient and carer interviews revealed five main themes (explanation of wound and wound type; access to healthcare services and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; wound education; patient and carer involvement in shared care tasks; the type of wound education that would be most helpful) and eight subthemes. The healthcare professional focus group revealed three main themes (patients who could be involved in shared care; trust education and standardising guidance; supporting people to share care) and five subthemes. Conclusions: This study has highlighted the importance of targeted education for patients living with wounds and their informal carers. Standardising education and guidance for healthcare professional is important to build confidence. Early patient engagement in shared care and personalised care plans are key to maximise acceptance