The Health Minister has called for more investment in preventative healthcare after new figures revealed that pressure sores on admission to Jersey General Hospital reached a five-year high.
Figures obtained by the JEP under the Freedom of Information Law revealed that there were 297 pressure sores present upon inpatient admission to the General Hospital last year – up from 171 in 2019.
The JEP also heard from the widow of an 81-year-old man who died in Jersey’s General Hospital six years ago after developing one of the worst pressure sores local nurses had ever seen.
Pressure sores are damage to the skin that comes from sustained pressure, with the most serious cases resulting in full tissue loss, and potentially bone, tendon or muscle being exposed. They can happen to anyone, but usually affect people confined to bed or who sit in a chair or wheelchair for long periods of time.
But Deputy Tom Binet explained that the rise in the number of pressure ulcers identified upon admission at the hospital doesn’t necessarily indicate decline in the quality of care, but reflects the strength of reporting systems and increased awareness among healthcare professionals.
“Clinical teams across Health and Care Jersey have enhanced the way they assess and document pressure cut ulcers, particularly the point of admission, so they are doing a better job of identifying them when they come in,” the Health Minister said.
“If this was all going under the radar because they weren’t being monitored then it would be even worse, so at least there’s a greater awareness of pressure sores because they’re making more effort to identify them.
“I know there’s more emphasis being put on identifying pressure sore when people come into hospital – which is a good thing.
“But overall, the extra monitoring and discovery of this actually points to the need for more investment in preventative healthcare.”
The extra monitoring and discovery of [pressure sores] actually points to the need for more investment in preventative healthcare.
Deputy Tom Binet, Health minister
Senior healthcare professionals echoed this sentiment – urging a shift in focus from treating wounds to preventing them in the first place.
Family Nursing and Home Care operational lead for adult services Tia Hall said that better early messaging around skin health, movement and nutrition could reduce both personal suffering and pressure on healthcare services.
“All it takes is you to move around a little bit more, or maybe look at your nutrition,” she explained.
“It’s about managing people’s expectations around their own healthcare and what they can expect, what they can and can’t prevent, and how they can prevent it
“Our focus should be on that early intervention and prevention, because actually, it saves us all time. There are limits to the resources available in healthcare.
“If you can prevent people from having those pressure sores – not only to reduce the risk to themselves and the pain – it also reduces the burden on the healthcare system.”
Health and Care Jersey senior tissue viability nurse Gillian Mallet explained that rise in the number of pressure ulcers identified upon hospital admission reflects reporting systems enhancements, as well as an improved awareness among colleagues to identify and manage pressure ulcers.
She added: “The work we have done to improve early identification means that Jersey General Hospital has seen a significant sustained reduction in pressure ulcers acquired during hospital care between 2023 and 2024.
“This achievement reflects the ongoing commitment of colleagues to provide proactive, person-centred care.”
Ms Mallet said the department is working with partners across the health and social care system to strengthen prevention strategies and ensure that all patients receive high-quality, safe care whether at home, in community settings, or during hospital admission.
She added: “The revised Island-Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management Framework, launching later this month, will build upon existing standards for identifying, preventing, and managing pressure ulcers across all care settings, ensuring a more consistent and patient-centred approach.”
