Pressure sores, wounds and ulcers of all types carry a heavy burden on the health and wellbeing of people across the country. They force people to learn to live with chronic pain and disrupt their lives significantly – taking a heavy toll on their mental health. They also weigh heavily on the system, as the cost of managing wounds is thought to be over £4.5 billion a year for the NHS – a figure that rivals the costs associated with other high profile conditions, such as obesity. Management of wounds requires constant attention to support healing and avoid reoccurrence. If the NHS is to reduce the burden of wounds, the system needs to focus on the cause of the wound and treat it effectively. One specific type of wound, venous leg ulcers, may benefit from a different approach.