Improving diagnosis of malignant leg ulcers in the community.

Over 80% of all leg ulcer patients are cared for in the community by district and practice nurses, or by a relative who may or may not be adequately instructed or supervised. Many patients have never been referred for a specialist opinion, although their ulcers have been in existence for many years. This article discusses the current lack of community leg ulcer nurse specialists who could perform biopsies on non-healing wounds and thus reduce the amount of unnecessary hospital referrals. In turn this would speed referral times to hospital of patients with malignant leg ulcers.