Reduced skin integrity: is what we have enough?

Skin integrity, its assessment, management and prevention of deteriation truly is the responsibility of all healthcare workers from ward to board, from office to treatment room, and from Parliament to pharmacy. Maintenance of good skin integrity is everyone's business, and we all need to re-group and re-focus if harm to patients skin integrity is to be avoided (Bateman, 2013). This article discusses reduced skin integrity pertaining to pressure ulcers and moisture lesions and the healthcare conundrum that we are currently experiencing with rising prevalence and incidence of skin damage alongside national and local drivers guiding change. There has never been a greater emphasis on patient safety and quality of care as there is currently, with healthcare clinicians, managers, procurement, industry and private service providers having to come together collaboratively to improve patient outcomes and provide safe, effective, financially sound pressure ulcer prevention and management strategies that are accepta...