Notice regarding the service during Covid-19:
The Leg Ulcer Service continues to move towards normal services in response to phased recovery during Covid-19. The service continues to offer the following:
- Triaging of all new patient referrals
- Clinically urgent referrals will be scheduled for a telephone consultation, clinic appointment or home visit as appropriate
- Non-urgent referrals will be added to clinic waiting lists
- More clinics are gradually reopening in all locations. Home visits provided for those patients where appropriate
- Telephone consultations for those patients who are able to self-care
- Telephone support for health care professionals requiring advice
Capacity at some clinic locations remains currently reduced following risk assessments of sites and safety requirements in line with social distancing during this time.
Personal protective equipment will be used for every patient contact, whether in clinic or at home, in line with Trust and Government guidelines.
Patients can still call the Leg Ulcer Service – our administrator is continuing to assist with any enquiries.
This nurse-led service provides community leg ulcer clinics in Baldock, Hatfield, 
Hitchin, Stevenage and Royston where people with a leg ulcer receive a full assessment (including Doppler assessment) to ascertain its cause.
The service provides appropriate on-going treatment (planned in line with local, national and international recommendations) for venous leg ulcers in the leg ulcer clinics in Baldock, Hatfield, Hitchin, Royston and Stevenage.
The service is a starting point for referral to other specialities if the ulcer is due to other causes. Well ulcer clinics are held to advise, monitor and support patients once the ulcer has healed. We liaise with other specialities, in particular the vascular department and tissue viability nurses in the local hospitals.
The service provides advice and support for patients, relatives and carers as well as for health care professionals. Our qualified practitioners facilitate a leg ulcer management training programme for all community nurses, to enable them to provide evidence-based care for patients both in clinics and other settings.
Leg Ulcer Service information poster
Contact the service
Tel: 01438 847505
- The leg ulcer team responsible for the service consists of qualified nurses with additional specialised training in leg ulcer management, healthcare assistants and administrative support.
- The leg ulcer and well ulcer clinics are staffed by members of the leg ulcer team.
- Some clinics are additionally staffed by nurses within community nursing teams in HCT who have received appropriate leg ulcer management training from the leg ulcer team.
The service is open to anyone with a leg ulcer who is registered with a GP in:
- North Herts and Stevenage
- Royston
- Welwyn and Hatfield
As soon as we receive your referral, you will go onto the waiting list to be seen in your local leg ulcer clinic (or at home if you are housebound). While you are waiting to come to the clinic, you will need to continue having your leg treated by your community or practice nurse.
We will offer you an appointment in a local leg ulcer clinic when a space is available (or see you at home if you are housebound). A detailed assessment will then be carried out in order to establish the cause of your ulcer. This assessment includes a Doppler test to check whether the blood is effectively getting to your legs.
Most ulcers are due to problems with veins in the legs, and the best treatment for this type of ulcers is compression bandages or hosiery. If this is the case, you may attend certain clinics once a week for your leg to be treated or attend certain clinics periodically for review.
If the ulcer is due to other causes, the clinic staff will write to your GP and ask for you to be referred to the appropriate hospital specialist. Your ulcer will be treated by your community or practice nurse while you are waiting to be seen.
The service takes referrals from GPs, community nurses, practice nurses and hospital specialists. Referrals from GP surgeries can be made via e-referrals. Any other referrals can be sent via email preferably, or by post.
Leg Ulcer Referral Form
Details for referrals from North Herts, Stevenage, Royston, Welwyn and Hatfield
Leg Ulcer Service
Unit 18 Stevenage Leisure Park
Kings Way, Stevenage
SG1 2UA
Email: enhertslegulcer@nhs.net
If you would like to share your story, please contact the Patient Experience team on 01707 388036 or email hct.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net.
We would also love to hear about your experience on our service, please complete a survey by clicking here.
