title: Involving patients with leg ulcers in developing innovations in treatment and management strategies.
abstract: Securing greater patient and public involvement is a central theme of health policy in many countries ( Coulter, 2011 ) and is a growing health-care phenomenon ( Staniszewska et al, 2011 ; World Health Organization, 2011 ). The challenge is how to ensure these voices are heard among the plethora of 'professional' voices representing different stakeholders of provider organisations, higher education, health-care industries and governments. Historically, in the management of leg ulcers, the professional 'user' voice has had a stronger input than that of the patient. This article outlines an approach that addresses this by moving beyond the concept of 'involving' the patient to putting the patient voice first, so that it sets the direction and leads the process in identifying innovation priorities in the management and treatment of chronic leg ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Academic Lead for Service User and Carer Involvement, School of Healthcare, University of Leeds.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McNichol
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D053828:Stockings, Compression; D006113:United Kingdom; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Adherence; Chronic venous leg ulcers; Compliance; Compression; Patient and public involvement