Although honey has been used for wound/infection management for millennia, it was only ‘rediscovered’ as a topical antibacterial agent in 1892. Ian Staples explores the benefits of this remarkable treatment.

Alan Jackson looks at the problem of healthcare and obesity and asks how nurses can find the time to help people lose weight when the overwhelming emphasis is on essential care for their primary condition.

In light of literature which suggests many patients are unable or unwilling to follow self-care activities, Annemarie Brown looks at how post-ulcer healing interventions should focus on minimising recurrence and enabling patients to adapt their lives to living with chronic venous ulceration (CVLU).

Community nurses play a crucial role in the primary health care team, particularly for people with dementia who may be living at home but find it harder to get out of the house for health care appointments. As well as providing direct care, community nurses also have a teaching role, working with patients to enable them to care for themselves or educating family members. Community nurses play a vital role in keeping hospital admissions and readmissions to a minimum and ensuring that patients can return to their own homes as soon as possible.