This course is open to members of The College of Foot Health who have completed the Advanced Practice Certificate or Higher Diploma ONLY.

About the Course

Develop the knowledge and practical skills required to confidently assess, manage and monitor lower limb wounds in clinical practice.

Lower limb wounds present one of the most significant challenges facing healthcare professionals today. With increasing rates of diabetes, peripheral vascular disease and an ageing population, clinicians must be able to recognise the underlying causes of wounds, identify red flags and implement evidence-based treatment plans that promote healing while reducing complications.

This comprehensive one-day CPD programme has been developed to provide delegates with a practical, evidence-based approach to lower limb wound care. Combining current clinical guidance with hands-on workshops and real-world case studies, the course focuses on safe, effective wound management within professional scope of practice.  

Successful wound management is about far more than selecting a dressing. This course equips clinicians with the skills to:

• Perform comprehensive lower limb and wound assessments.
• Identify the underlying causes of delayed wound healing.
• Differentiate between common wound types.
• Recognise infection, biofilm and other barriers to healing.
• Select appropriate dressings based on wound characteristics.
• Identify urgent clinical red flags requiring referral.
• Develop evidence-based treatment plans.
• Document wound care accurately and professionally.
• Understand when referral to specialist services is required.

Course Sylabus

Wound Healing Principles

Gain an understanding of:

• Skin anatomy and physiology
• The phases of wound healing
• Biofilm and its impact on healing
• Inflammation versus infection
• Factors that delay healing

Comprehensive Lower Limb Assessment

Develop a structured approach to patient assessment, including:

• Vascular assessment
• Doppler assessment
• Neurological assessment
• Oedema assessment
• Recognition of limb-threatening pathology
• Identification of clinical red flags

Wound Assessment

Learn how to undertake systematic wound assessment using recognised frameworks, including:

• Tissue assessment Infection and inflammation
• Moisture balance
• Wound edge assessment
• Wound measurement
• Clinical photography
• Documentation standards

Dressing Selection

Explore the appropriate use of modern wound care products, including:

• Foam dressings
• Alginates and hydrofibres
• Silicone dressings
• Honey dressings
• Antimicrobial dressings
• An overview of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)

Practical Skills & Case Studies

Apply learning through interactive clinical scenarios covering:

• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Venous leg ulcers
• Arterial ulcers
• Pressure injuries
• Skin tears
• Surgical wounds
• Heel ulcers
• Nail trauma

Delegates will also practise wound cleansing, dressing application, offloading techniques and pressure redistribution strategies.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course delegates will be able to:

• Perform a structured lower limb assessment.
• Undertake a comprehensive wound assessment.
• Identify factors that delay wound healing.
• Differentiate common wound types.
• Select appropriate wound dressings.
• Recognise clinical red flags requiring urgent referral.
• Develop evidence-based wound management plans.
• Document wound care to a professional standard.

Course Tutor

Gaynor Wooldridge, is a consultant podiatrist working within a multidisciplinary clinic in Kent. She has a passion and commitment to the field of foot health, with special interests in research, injection therapies, wound care and diabetes. She is a great believer that continuing professional development is central to the ‘lifelong learning’ approach so vital within healthcare.