Strengthening wound care in primary care: insights to support continuous improvement

Wound care is a core component of general practice nursing, yet service variation, increasing patient complexity and evolving commissioning structures present ongoing challenges for safe and effective care delivery. This article discusses a 2025 regional wound care survey involving 177 primary care clinicians, predominantly practice nurses, who reported high levels of engagement with routine wound care but significant difficulties managing complex wounds. Respondents highlighted time constraints, limited access to training, inconsistent referral pathways and variable multidisciplinary team involvement. Confidence in routine wound care was high, but confidence in managing complex wounds was considerably lower. These findings are discussed in the context of patient safety, workforce development and primary care service design. Recommendations include improving pathways, enhancing training and supervision, and ensuring clearer commissioning arrangements to support sustainable and effective wound care in primary care settings.