Dr Tom Defloor

EPUAP ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1976

THE major aim of the EPUAP is to provide the relief of persons suffering from or at risk of pressure ulcers, in particular through research and the education of the public. This is our mission statement and as such underpins all our actions as an organisation.

What have been the major achievements for the EPUAP since its formation in 1976? The prevention and treatment guidelines; the nutrition guideline; the pressure ulcer classification CDROM Puclas have been spread over Europe and have been very well received. In addition to these successes EPUAP initiated new research on pressure ulcer prevalence, on the experience of living with a pressure ulcer, on pressure ulcers in hip fracture patients and, finally, on pressure ulcer classification.

Recently we added a new achievement – the publication of a book dedicated to pressure ulcers – Science and Practice of Pressure Ulcer Management was a joint effort of all EPUAP trustees under the direction of the lead editor Professor Marco Romanelli

However, this is no time for EPUAP to slow down and relax in ease and comfort! In the last decade more than 3,500 articles on pressure ulcers have been published. For individual caregivers, it is impossible to fully grasp this rapidly increasing body of knowledge. Clearly new evidence-based guidelines that take all available evidence into account, are needed. It is now time for the EPUAP to revise its clinical practice guidelines to incorporate all the advances both in pressure ulcer knowledge and in the rigour of guideline development since our prevention guideline was published almost ten years ago. This important project will be led by Dr Carol Dealey on behalf of the EPUAP.

In an exciting development the updating of the EPUAP pressure ulcer guidelines will mark a joint activity between EPUAP and our colleagues in the United States, the NPUAP. The EPUAP will lead on the development of guidance on pressure ulcer prevention while the NPUAP will lead on the treatment guideline with both groups sharing and consulting with each other along the way. We hope to present new guidelines in 2008. To meet this deadline will take resources both in terms of money but most importantly in terms of the time of the Trustees who will all participate in this initiative. This issue of the EPUAP Review presents the scope of the prevention guideline and subsequent issues will look in closer detail at the methods used to turn the large number of pressure ulcer publications into a new rigorous clinical practice guideline. How can you get involved in this process? First of all return comments on the scope of the guideline to the EPUAP Office at epuap@aol.com. Register as a stakeholder and you will be kept up to date with the project methods and the eventual guideline recommendations. Keep an eye out for information in the EPUAP Review and on the EPUAP website for details of how to help in the review process. This is a major undertaking for the EPUAP but with your support we can make it happen!

Tom Defloor
President