Wound Treatment and Management Services

Our wound treatment and management services allow you to access wound treatment, from simple right through to complex treatment, in the comfort of your home. From assessment and treatment, right through to healing, the HealthCare New Zealand Nursing team provides expert, friendly and compassionate care.

Heal well at home—find out more about our wound management services today!

Who might need wound care services?

Anyone who has sustained a wound could potentially benefit from our wound care services! From simple wounds such as cuts and abrasions to acute wounds like burns or surgical incisions, there is a wide range of people that would benefit from our comprehensive at-home wound care.

Our team of expert Nurses can also provide professional management of chronic and complex wounds, such as pressure injuries, ulcers, and wounds with complications that make healing challenging.

Each wound is a unique case. At-home care may provide you with an option to receive professional treatment in your own home rather than attending your primary care practice or local hospital.

If you are concerned about a wound you have suffered that is not healing as expected, please seek health professional advice.

Receiving wound care at home

HealthCare NZ’s at-home wound care service is administered by our skilled and qualified Nursing team, who understand the importance of treating people with respect and compassion, particularly when coming into their homes.

• A Healthcare NZ Nurse will visit to assess your wound and come up with a wound treatment plan aimed at healing your wound quickly.
• You will receive visits according to your wound treatment plan schedule. Our Nurse will come equipped with everything they need to clean, monitor, and re-dress your wound. They will clean up after themselves and ensure your home is left as they found it.
• If your regular Nurse is unavailable, HCNZ will make their best effort to find a replacement that meets your wound treatment needs. If rescheduling is required, you will be kept informed.[1] 

Communication is important when it comes to at-home care. Our clients have to trust the team that’s caring for them, so we make sure that the lines of communication are always open.

Types of wounds: simple, acute, chronic, and complex

No two wounds are the same—that’s why proper health professional care is so important for optimal healing. However, they can be sorted into broad categories by nature and severity.

Simple wounds: These are non-complex and common wounds to skin or soft tissue only, such as cuts, lacerations, and abrasions. They will generally heal within a predictable timeframe, barring any complications.

Acute wounds: These are more serious wounds. They will have a longer (but also predictable, complications aside) healing timeframe. They might include surgical incisions, burns, and traumatic injuries that affect the body beyond the skin and soft tissue.

Chronic wounds: These are wounds which fail to progress through the expected phases of healing for any reason. Common chronic wounds include ulcers and pressure injuries. They may be associated with underlying medical conditions like diabetes.

Complex wounds: Complex wounds may also be categorised as either chronic or acute; they fail to heal due to complications such as infections, poor blood supply, or loss of tissue. Wounds with large surface areas are often at risk of becoming complex, and there are often comorbidities that affect healing.

For proper chronic, complex, acute, and even simple wound care, it’s crucial to follow the advice of your health professional. Different wounds require different treatments, dressings, and management. That’s why we tailor our wound treatment plans for each person and ensure their unique needs are being met.

The importance of proper treatment for wounds

Seeking health professional advice and treatment for wounds can make a big difference to your health and quality of life in the long term. The “she’ll be right” attitude might work for DIY projects, but steer clear of this mindset when it comes to wounds—particularly those that are not healing as expected!

Correct treatment of wounds can:

Reduce healing time: Care as simple as cleaning and dressing wounds regularly can promote faster healing.

Minimise the risk of complications: Proper wound management is the best defence against complications that can turn a simple or acute wound into a chronic or complex one. Preventing infection, managing pressure, and careful dressing of wounds with the right wound product are all aspects of complication prevention.

Minimise scarring: Wounds that are not properly treated can leave nasty and noticeable scars. Seeking professional care is the best way to avoid unnecessary scarring.

Manage pain: Quality wound care reduces the likelihood of infection and inflammation, both painful symptoms. Your Nurse will work with you and your primary care provider to ensure any pain is well managed.

Available wound treatments

HealthCare New Zealand offers a comprehensive wound treatment at home service. Our skilled nurses provide the full range of wound care for the elderly and anyone else who needs professional wound management. This includes:

Assessment: Our Nursing team will assess your wound and gather information about your general health state and medical history that may impact on wound healing timeframes.

Diagnosis: Following their assessment, our team of Nurses will use their clinical expertise to diagnose your wound.

Treatment and Implementation: Working alongside you, our Nurses will develop a wound treatment plan, including selecting the right wound products and ongoing monitoring regime, all in the comfort of your own home.

Evaluation and Monitoring: Sometimes it takes a professional to spot issues or complications. Having a trained eye on your wound regularly ensures that nothing is missed and you don’t run into problems down the track. The HealthCare NZ team makes sure to monitor wounds carefully, adjust treatment plans where necessary, and follow up on concerns.

Why choose HealthCare New Zealand for your wound care services?

HealthCare NZ is a trusted provider of wound care and other in-home health and support services across Aotearoa. We’ve been bringing quality care to the comfort of your home since 1988.

We pride ourselves on:

Quality professional care: Our team of Nurses are qualified, well-trained, respectful, and compassionate. As New Zealand’s largest healthcare, disability, and wellbeing support provider, we draw from a deep pool of expertise when it comes to providing you with the very best wound care services.

Tailored treatment: All of our healthcare services are centred around the unique needs of each person, and our wound care service is no exception! You can rest assured you’re getting the right care for your individual situation, with constant communication and monitoring to ensure that the treatment plan is working and any changes are made quickly.

Wrap-around support: With such a breadth of expertise and resources within our teams, we can provide wrap-around support that addresses complex and varied health issues and needs. From complex wound treatment to ongoing support to live well at home, we have services to support your holistic well-being.

Proper treatment and monitoring for your wounds is important—you should always be able to make an informed decision about your provider! If you have any questions about our wound care services, please get in touch to ask the HealthCare NZ team.

Wound care FAQs

What are the stages of healing?

Straightforward wound healing occurs in four phases:

• Hemostasis (bleeding slows and stops)
• Inflammation (white blood cells clear debris, bacteria, and damage)
• Proliferation (New tissue is formed)
• Remodelling (Regenerated tissue strengthens and matures)

Chronic and complex wounds may encounter treatment challenges at one or more of these phases.

What can slow down the healing process?

The wound healing process is often slowed down by complications like infections or reduced blood flow. Often, underlying health problems will contribute to slow healing.

What can be done to assist or speed up the healing?

Correct wound treatment and ongoing monitoring will help to speed up the healing. This includes the right wound product selection, regular monitoring and evaluation, pain management, and addressing underlying health conditions that could contribute to complications.

What are the 5 principles of wound management?

The five basic principles of wound management are wound assessment, wound cleansing, timely dressing changes, appropriate dressing choice, and antibiotic use if necessary. Our wound care service covers all of these principles, ensuring you receive professional care and advice at each step.

Are there any subsidies available for your wound care services?

You may be eligible for government-funded wound care services. Contact us for advice or talk to your GP, healthcare professional, or ACC Coordinator for a referral.