The author is a clinical nurse specialist in tissue viability for Central Essex Community Services, a community interest company (CIC) providing NHS services to a population of approximately 368,000 split across three boroughs (NHS Mid Essex, 2008). The clinical nurse specialist for tissue viability has organisational responsibility for ensuring that systems and processes for care delivery for patients with wounds are appropriate, evidence-based and promote clinical and cost effective use of limited resources. Wound management has a significant impact on the health economy costing an estimated 2–3% of local healthcare budgets (Vowden et al, 2009). Wound care audits within the UK report that the majority of wound management is carried out within the community setting (Drew et al, 2007) Therefore it is not surprising that over the years organisations providing community health care services have experienced an increase in expenditure for wound management products as the majority are prescribed or procured in the community (National Prescribing Centre, 2012a).