Standardising dressings: From variation to value in wound care

Wound care remains a significant and growing challenge across the UK, placing considerable pressure on healthcare systems. It is estimated that millions of patients are affected, with costs running into billions annually, yet practice remains highly variable across regions, care settings, and clinicians.¹

This unwarranted variation often results in inappropriate or unnecessary wound dressing changes, contributing not only to increased costs, but also to suboptimal patient experiences and outcomes.

At a time when the NHS is under increasing pressure to deliver more efficient, evidence-based care, reducing variation in wound management has become a critical priority.

Why reducing variation matters now

Variation in wound care is not simply a clinical issue, it has system-wide implications. Differences in clinician preference, product availability, and local practices can lead to inconsistencies in wound treatment decisions, inefficient use of resources, and inequitable patient outcomes.¹

National programmes and guidance increasingly emphasise the need for standardised approaches to wound care, including the use of structured care pathways and formularies, as key enablers of high-quality, cost-effective care.²

From complexity to consistency: the role of formularies

Introducing a local wound care formulary is a practical and scalable way to support standardisation.

A well-designed formulary guides clinicians through dressing selection, helping to ensure decisions are:

• Evidence-based
• Clinically appropriate
• Cost-effective

At the same time, formularies enable improved monitoring of product usage and spend, supporting better resource allocation and governance.³⁻⁴

To maximise impact, formularies must go beyond static documents. Digital and visual enhancements such as clear product categorisation, intuitive pathways, QR codes and interactive links, can significantly improve usability and adoption in clinical practice.

Driving impact through standardisation

Implementing a structured formulary delivers benefits across multiple areas:

Simplifying decision-making

The breadth of available dressings can make selection complex and inconsistent. By rationalising choice, formularies streamline decision-making, enabling clinicians to make more consistent, evidence-based selections aligned to best practice.³⁻⁵

Reducing training burden

A more focused product range reduces the need for extensive product-specific education. This allows teams to build confidence more quickly and apply treatments more consistently across care settings.³⁻⁴

Improving operational efficiency

Reducing the number of products in use supports more efficient procurement, stock management and storage. It also enhances visibility of product utilisation, enabling organisations to better manage spend and reduce waste.³⁻⁴

Enabling standardised care pathways

Evidence supports the use of integrated care bundles and standardised pathways to improve outcomes and reduce costs. While not limited to specific dressings, this reinforces the broader principle that consistency in practice drives efficiency and quality in care delivery.⁶

Turning strategy into practice: evidence from implementation⁷

Real-world implementation demonstrates how standardisation within wound care can translate into measurable impact.

At the Countess of Chester Hospital, evaluation of a new foam dressing across 28 patients (31 wounds) showed that the need for multiple dressings was reduced in 96% of cases following its introduction.

Over a three-year period, both product volume and overall spend on foams and gelling fibres/alginates decreased, despite stable referral rates. A phased implementation approach enabled controlled adoption and sustained results over time.

Importantly, the introduction of advanced foam technologies supported a move towards simplified, single-dressing approaches, reinforcing how product rationalisation and clinical pathway alignment can work together to reduce variation and improve efficiency.

From standardisation to sustainable improvement

Unwarranted variation in wound care remains a significant barrier to delivering consistent, high-quality care. However, it also presents a clear opportunity.

The implementation of structured, user-friendly wound care formularies provides a practical route to standardisation, supporting clinicians to make more consistent, evidence-based decisions, while enabling organisations to better manage resources.

By simplifying dressing selection, reducing training complexity, improving stock management, and aligning care pathways, formularies can deliver meaningful improvements in both clinical and economic outcomes.

As healthcare systems continue to prioritise efficiency and value, standardisation supported by robust evidence and thoughtful implementation will play an increasingly important role in transforming wound care delivery.