Taking stock of where we are at in wound care

As this issue comes out, I will be celebrating 40 years of being a nurse: 10 August 1981 was the first day of my nursing career. Where do the years go? Yes, I am proud to be a nurse, I have taken pleasure and pride in my nursing career and tried to make a difference, especially during the last 20 years working in tissue viability and wound care. Milestones often lead to reflection and now as a professor I think about the future, both in terms of preparing and of sustaining nursing as well as allied health professionals and medics. What are the attributes required to deliver care? The core capabilities are widely known as being knowledge, skills and behaviours, but they are accompanied by managing change, being flexible, dealing with complexity and complex or unpredictable situations and referring appropriately. Continuing to improve performance is also essential and much clarity has been offered by Skills for Health (https://skillsforhealth.org.uk/). A not-for-profit organisation, it has been ‘committed to the development of an improved and sustainable healthcare and workforce across the UK’. Each year Skills for Health undertakes a 4-minute survey of your thoughts on its provision. Take up the chance to have your say, to people who are listening, through the link on the website.