The wound deepens
Unrelieved pressure allows damage to extend from the skin surface into deeper tissue. A superficial area can progress to a wound involving fat, muscle and, at worst, bone.
Clinical & diabetic care
Pressure Ulcer Foot Care at HomeAcross Hertfordshire, WelwynGarden City & Hatfield
Wound care and dressing to prevent further complications and promote healing, delivered at the bedside or armchair by a qualified Foot Health Practitioner with over 20 years of nursing experience behind the clinical decisions.
45 minutes · From £75.00
Registered nurse of 20+ years · Qualified FHP · Insured with Balens Ltd
Why clients trust Alicegate Foot Health Practice
- Qualified Foot Health Practitioner (FHP)
- 20+ years of nursing experience
- Fully insured with Balens Ltd
- Home visits across Hertfordshire
- Cash or bank transfer on the day
About Pressure Ulcer
Pressure ulcers on the feet develop where sustained pressure cuts off blood supply to the tissue. The heel is the most common site on the lower limb, because it is a bony prominence bearing the full weight of the leg against a mattress or footplate for hours at a time.
This appointment provides wound care and dressing to prevent further complications and promote healing. It runs for 45 minutes and includes assessment of the wound, cleaning and dressing as appropriate, and a careful review of the pressure that caused it.
The clinical background matters here more than anywhere else in the practice. Nse Murray spent over 20 years as a registered nurse before qualifying as a Foot Health Practitioner, and pressure area care is core nursing territory: recognising deterioration, identifying infection and knowing precisely when to escalate.
Pressure ulcers are managed within a wider care picture. Where district nursing, GP or tissue viability input is required, you will be told clearly and directly, and care is provided alongside those services rather than in place of them.
Why professional care matters
Pressure damage progresses through tissue layers, and what is visible at the surface frequently underestimates what has happened underneath. Assessment by someone with a nursing background distinguishes blanching redness from established damage, recognises the signs of infection, and knows when a wound needs escalating to a GP, district nursing team or tissue viability service the same day.
Who this is for
- Bed-bound or chair-bound clients with heel or foot pressure damage
- People recovering from surgery or illness with reduced mobility
- Clients with diabetes or poor circulation, where risk is far higher
- Families caring for a relative at home who has developed a sore heel
- Anyone with a persistent area of redness over a bony part of the foot
When it is needed
- An area of skin over the heel or foot stays red after pressure is relieved
- The skin has broken over a bony prominence
- A blister, shallow wound or dark patch has appeared on the heel
- An existing wound needs regular dressing and monitoring
- Mobility has dropped suddenly and the feet are now under constant pressure
What happens if it is left untreated
Infection
An open wound on a poorly perfused limb is highly vulnerable to infection, which can spread from the skin into deeper structures and requires urgent medical treatment.
Prolonged immobility
A painful heel wound keeps people off their feet, which reduces circulation further, weakens muscles and increases the risk of further pressure damage elsewhere.
Common mistakes we see
- Massaging or rubbing a reddened pressure area, which increases the damage
- Leaving heels resting directly on the mattress or footplate
- Covering a wound with a plaster and hoping it settles
- Removing a dressing to look at the wound repeatedly
- Waiting several days to seek advice because there is little or no pain
How the appointment works, step by step
Step 1
Assessment
The wound is assessed for site, size, depth, tissue type, exudate, surrounding skin condition and any sign of infection, alongside the client's overall risk.
Step 2
Cleaning
The wound and surrounding skin are cleaned appropriately, with careful handling of fragile tissue.
Step 3
Dressing
An appropriate dressing is applied to protect the wound, manage moisture and support healing until the next review.
Step 4
Pressure relief
The cause is addressed: positioning, heel offloading, footwear, bedding and seating are reviewed with you and your carers.
Step 5
Monitoring and escalation
Healing is reviewed at each visit, and where GP, district nursing or tissue viability input is needed you are told clearly and promptly.
What you get from the treatment
Care at the bedside
No transport, no ambulance, no distress for a client who should not be moved unnecessarily.
Nursing experience in wound care
Over 20 years of nursing practice informs the assessment, the dressing choice and the decision to escalate.
The cause is removed
Dressings do not heal wounds if the pressure remains. Offloading and positioning are part of every visit.
Deterioration caught early
Regular review means changes in the wound are identified quickly rather than at the next crisis.
Families supported
Carers are shown what to watch for and what to do between visits, which is where most of the care actually happens.
Dignity maintained
Treatment is unhurried, gentle and carried out in familiar surroundings.
Pressure Ulcer in detail
Why heels are so vulnerable
The heel has very little soft tissue between the skin and the bone, and when a person lies on their back the entire weight of the leg presses that small area into the mattress. Blood flow through the compressed tissue falls, and if pressure is not relieved the tissue begins to die.
Damage can start within hours in a vulnerable person. This is why repositioning, heel offloading with pillows or purpose-made devices, and daily skin checks are more important than any dressing.
Recognising early pressure damage
The earliest sign is an area of redness that does not blanch; it stays red when light pressure is applied and released. On darker skin tones, look instead for a patch that is darker, purplish or different in temperature or texture from the surrounding skin.
A purple or maroon area, a blood-filled blister or a boggy, warm patch may indicate deep tissue injury, where damage below the surface is worse than the skin suggests. Any of these findings requires prompt attention rather than watchful waiting.
Prevention in the home setting
Practical measures make the greatest difference: reposition regularly rather than leaving someone in one position for hours, keep heels lifted clear of the surface, use pressure-relieving mattresses or cushions where available, keep skin clean and dry without over-washing, and check the feet daily including the back of the heels.
Nutrition and hydration play a genuine role in skin resilience and wound healing, and a decline in either is often part of the picture when new pressure damage appears in someone who was previously fine.
Working alongside other services
Pressure ulcers are frequently managed jointly. District nurses, GPs and tissue viability specialists all have roles, and this service is provided alongside them rather than as an alternative.
Where a wound is deteriorating, shows signs of infection, or extends beyond what can be safely managed within foot health practice scope, you will be told directly and advised who to contact. That clarity is part of the service.
Related treatments
- Diabetic Foot Assessment | 1 hour, From £85.00
- Cracked Heels | 1 hour, From £75.00
- Consultation with Treatment | 1 hour, From £95.00
- All treatments and prices →
Areas covered for home visits
- Hertfordshire
- Welwyn Garden City
- Hatfield
- St Albans
- Potters Bar
- Codicote
- Hertford
- Stevenage
- Borehamwood
- Welwyn
- Hemel Hempstead
- Hitchin
- Enfield
- Barnet
New to the practice? Read about the practice or meet Nse Murray.
Pressure Ulcer: your questions answered
- How much does pressure ulcer care cost?
- From £75.00 for a 45-minute home visit across the covered Hertfordshire areas.
- How often will the dressing need changing?
- That depends on the wound, the dressing used and how much exudate is present. A review schedule is agreed at the first visit and adjusted as healing progresses.
- Do you work with district nurses?
- Care is provided alongside existing NHS services. Where district nursing, GP or tissue viability involvement is needed, you will be advised clearly.
- Can you visit someone who cannot get out of bed?
- Yes. Bed-bound clients are treated regularly, with care taken to avoid unnecessary movement or discomfort.
- What are the early signs of a pressure ulcer?
- Redness that does not fade when pressure is removed, a darker or purplish patch on darker skin, warmth, swelling or a blister over a bony area such as the heel.
- How long do pressure ulcers take to heal?
- It varies with depth, circulation, nutrition and how effectively pressure is relieved. Superficial damage can settle in weeks; deeper wounds take considerably longer.
- What can carers do between visits?
- Reposition regularly, keep heels lifted clear of the mattress, check the skin daily, keep it clean and dry, and report any change promptly.
- How do I pay?
- Cash or bank transfer, on the day or soon after treatment.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, St Albans, Potters Bar, Codicote, Hertford, Stevenage, Borehamwood and the surrounding Hertfordshire area.
Comfortable Feet, Treated ProperlyWithout Leaving Your Home
Tell Nse what is troubling you and she will call you back to arrange a convenient appointment. Qualified Foot Health Practitioner, 20+ years of nursing experience, fully insured with Balens Ltd.