A new national research institute has been established to tackle chronic wounds, a health issue which “quietly costs” the NHS billions annually and has a “devastating impact” on thousands of patients’ quality of life.
The University of Hull’s £48 million Wound Innovation Institute will drive life-changing research into this overlooked problem. Chronic wounds affect around 2.2 million people across the UK, causing long-term pain and reduced mobility.
The university revealed these conditions cost the NHS £8.3 billion annually, which is more than cancer and obesity.
Institute director Professor Matthew Hardman said: “For too long, chronic wounds have quietly cost the NHS billions and had a devastating impact on quality of life.
“The Wound Innovation Institute exists to change that.
“We’re delivering world-leading research that translates directly into better care, faster recovery and easing pressure on NHS services.”
The institute, which is officially opening on Friday, is bringing together research and clinical expertise, together with private sector manufacturers.
The university said one key area of focus for the new national institute is improving outcomes for people living with diabetic foot ulcers – an area it says has often been overlooked.
Around 90,000 people in the UK with diabetes are living with foot ulcers that can limit their ability to live independently.
It said that more than half of these wounds fail to heal within a year, increasing the risk of serious infection and lower‑limb amputation.
These amputations are associated with a five‑year mortality rate, which is higher than that of many cancers, the university said.
The institute is also leading work to transform recovery after below‑the‑knee amputations, including testing a heat‑remouldable prosthetic socket that can be fitted in a single session and reshaped as the limb heals.
This technology, developed by Amparo Prosthetics, has already been used in conflict zones, including Gaza, where it has enabled patients to receive immediate care, the university said.
The university won a £16 million bid from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF) to establish the facility, which is also funded by industry partners including Polaroid Therapeutics (PTx) and Reckitt.
Executive chairwoman of Research England, Professor Dame Jessica Corner said: “Chronic wounds represent a huge and often invisible burden on patients and the NHS alike, and this institute brings together the scientific excellence, clinical partnerships and industry collaboration needed to make a real difference.
“The University of Hull has built something genuinely transformative here, and I’m proud that the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund is helping to turn world-leading research into better outcomes for millions of people across the country.”
Science minister Lord Vallance said: “People living with chronic wounds that fail to heal are forced to struggle on in distress and discomfort.
“That’s why we are determined to support new innovations to deliver a health service which is fit for the future, improves lives and delivers real impact for people.
“The new Wound Innovation Institute in Hull will help us do exactly that – allowing clinicians and industry to pioneer treatments which heal wounds faster, improve outcomes after surgery, and free up more resources for our NHS to do what it does best.”
