The recent and ongoing changes to the NHS were instigated to absorb the increasing costs of an ageing population: the NHS needs to save £15–20 billion by the end of 2013/14 for reinvestment into frontline services (Department of Health [DH], 2010a; 2010b).

David Gray, Professor of Tissue Viability, Tissue Viability Practice Development Unit, Birmingham City University, and Clinical Nurse Specialist Tissue Viability, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen