What does this service provide?

Who we are 

We are a team of tissue viability nurses who have specialist knowledge, skills, and experience in wound care.  

What we do 

Our service provides specialist advice and treatment to patients with complex wounds. We also support carers and health care professionals caring for adults and children with complex wound management needs, and provide advice for patients at risk of developing wounds such as pressure ulcers and leg ulcers. 

We offer telephone advice or arrange a tissue viability assessment. Assessments are made with your main provider of care such as a community nurse, care home nurse or practice nurse. This could be in your own home, care home, GP surgery, community inpatient unit or hospice. The visit will include a detailed assessment of any wounds that you have, including measuring the wounds and taking photographs with your consent. Any photographs taken will be stored securely on your patient record.   

A holistic assessment will also help identify any problems that may be delaying the wounds to heal. We will agree a wound management plan with yourself and may suggest other services or specialists you could be referred to. 

Appointment information

Who you'll see at your appointment 

You will see one of our tissue viability nurses. 

Where your appointment will be 

We offer telephone or email advice or face to face visits. If your appointment is face to face one of our tissue viability nurses will arrange a convenient date and time with you and your main provider of care. This could be in your own home, care home, GP surgery, community inpatient unit or hospice. 

What happens after my treatment ends? 

Following your assessment your ongoing wound care will continue with your main provider of care.  

We will continue to receive updates for eight weeks after your assessment and may arrange a review if needed. If you no longer require our service, you will be discharged, but you can be referred to us again at any time if required. 

How can I access this service?

Your main provider of nursing care will refer you to our service. This may be your GP, community nurse, practice nurse or care home nurse.  

You will need to be registered with a Sussex GP and / or be a current patient within one of our Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust in-patient care units within our community hospitals.

Please note we do not operate clinics and do not accept visits from industry representatives without an appointment.  

We accept referrals for adults and children for:

  • the management of complex acute and hard to heal wounds including pressure ulcers, leg ulcers, malignant wounds, burns, sinuses or fistulas
  • patients requiring interventions such as Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) therapy and high-cost dressing products
  • the prevention and management of pressure ulcers in patients with complex needs
Information for professionals

Please note the following patients should not be referred to the Tissue Viability Nursing team but to the appropriate services listed below:

    • patients with severe limb ischaemia should be referred urgently to the vascular team if ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) is 0.5 or below
    • patients with diabetic foot ulceration should be referred directly to Diabetic Podiatry 
    • patients with suspected skin or wound malignancy should be referred to Dermatology 
    • patients with Lymphoedema should be referred directly to the Lymphoedema service within your local area 

How can I contact this service?

Contact details
One Call - West Sussex
Telephone: 0300 37 37 111
Tissue Viability Nurses West Sussex North (includes Crawley, Horsham, East Grinstead, Mid Sussex, Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath)
Tissue Viability Nurses West Sussex South (includes Arun, Adur and Chichester)
Tissue Viability Nurses East (includes East Sussex and Brighton and Hove)

TVN services in the East area can be contacted through your GP or community nursing team.

Opening hours
Opening hours

We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00am–5:00pm (excluding bank holidays). 

Waiting times

We aim to be in contact within one week of referral. 

Where can I find resources for this service?

Legs Matter – website offering evidence-based knowledge around the health advice on leg and foot problems

National Wound Care Strategy  – website which seeks to improve care for people with pressure ulcers, lower limb and surgical wounds, including a guide to taking images of your wound which can help monitor wound healing

Leaflets will be available from the Tissue Viability Team on assessment 

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