Welcome to the TVS January blog written by TVS Chair, Ray Samuriwo, Lecturer in Adult Nursing, School of Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University as he reflects on 2018 and shares his thoughts about the coming year!

The Christmas and New Year period provides many of us the opportunity to spend some quality time with people that are close to our hearts. During the festive period, we also take the opportunity to reflect on life and to discuss our hopes with those that we love. You are close to the heart of the Tissue Viability Society and so I would like to share my reflections on 2018 and thoughts about the coming year.

The Tissue Viability Society is a group of people who have a shared interest in improving wound related care in the UK and beyond. Therefore, on your behalf the TVS trustees have been contributing to a number of ongoing projects such as the Legs Matter initiative, Wounds Research Network (WReN) and the ongoing development of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme in England. We also run a number of Regional Study Days across the UK in line with our objective to share knowledge and expertise about best practice with regards to wound care.

There have also been a number of wider changes which have had an impact on the Tissue Viability Society, most notably changes in legislation on how charities are expected to be run and how wound care related companies are permitted to work with healthcare professionals. In the autumn, we carried out a survey of Tissue Viability Society members to find out what they wanted the society to focus on in the coming years. I am delighted to let you know that we have changed our constitution and organisation in response to feedback from our members and the new guidance from the Charity Commission. I firmly believe that the new constitution informed by the views of the members will ensure that the Tissue Viability Society plays a key role in improving wound care in the UK in the future

The start of the New Year is in some respects similar to turning the page in the book and beginning a new chapter. Therefore, I hope that you will continue to be part of the TVS and will make 2019 the most exciting new chapter yet.

Dr Ray Samuriwo

January 2019