There is a lack of reliable prevalence and cost data regarding leg ulcers, with regional health authorities and commissioning groups not requesting these outcome data, resulting in a lack of understanding of the true magnitude of the problem. Adherence to guidelines or recommendations is rarely assessed or audited, with little record or acknowledgment of poor care provision. This article identifies and discusses clinical audits and service evaluations against leg ulcer guidelines or recommendations within the UK. It concludes that although literature supports the use of guidelines and recommendations to provide up to date and evidence-based practice, there is a paucity of published clinical audits making it difficult to compare data to reveal the effect guidelines have within real-world practice.
Keywords: community nursing; compression therapy; leg ulcer; national guidelines; self-care; venous leg ulcer.