Julie Mullings has 21 years’ experience working in the field of Tissue Viability and is currently the Lead Nurse for Tissue Viability / Infection Prevention & Control; Community Services at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Julie has an MSC in Health Studies and a PG Cert in Health Professional Education, she leads a citywide service in a range of settings to multiple and diverse community teams across Manchester and Trafford. Julie has 25 years’ experience working in the community setting. This has presented Julie significant insight into the demands and challenges inherent to this specialist area and need to ensure pathways are in place to support the workforce and protect patients including those attending Leg Ulcer Clinics.

Julie has a particular interest in Leg Ulcer Management and won a HSJ award for collaborative working with industry to develop a community venous leg ulcer pathway prior to the implementation of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP). The use of this pathway has been up scaled and is now used across areas in the North-West. Julie has previously been awarded first place in the NHS Excellence in Supply Award, second place at JWC for The Compression Therapy for Venous and Lymphatic disorders Award and was a finalist for RCNI 2019 Wound Prevention & Treatment Award.

Julie is enthusiastic about improving patient outcomes and has worked in collaboration with commissioners and medicines management in the primary care sector to develop strategies in line with Lord Carter’s Report in reducing spend and gaining efficiencies for effective patient outcomes. One of Julie’s successes was the instrumental role in developing a ‘total purchase’ clinical dressing system within the community setting. This promoted a holistic approach across the health economy, maintaining autonomy for the clinician and choice for the patient.

Consistently promoting and influencing high standards of evidenced based care, Julie strives to create a voice for Tissue Viability, ensuring that she is involved in team, local and national projects and has co-led the education and clinical workstream for the NWCSP first tranche implementation site. Julie will continually seek out catalysts to continue improve patient care, i.e., she is leading a ‘diagnose more’ workstream as part of the Manchester Amputation Reduction Strategy and is responsible for the development and implementation of the lower limb education model. A multidisciplinary Trust wide training programme designed to support font line clinicians to provide care that promotes patient lower limb outcomes. An inclusive clear vision and strategy alongside effective leadership has been integral to the successes of Julie’s work.

Improving quality of life for patients with wounds is something that Julie feels passionate about and she supports and empowers her colleagues through education, to enhance wound care delivery across the Trust.