Legs Matter is a coalition of organisations working together to increase awareness, understanding and action on lower leg and foot conditions among the public and healthcare professionals.

We were instrumental in establishing the coalition in 2018 and continue to provide governance for it. The current Co-Chairs of the Legs Matter coalition are Alison Hopkins, CEO, Accelerate and Joanne Casey, Professional Development Lead and Visiting Fellow, Royal College of Podiatry and University of Southampton and three members of the Society sit on the Legs Matter board.

The need for the campaign

We wanted to join forces with our healthcare peers to tackle one of the biggest health challenges of our time – non-healing leg and foot wounds. Every day, thousands of people’s quality of life is devastated by the lack of support and advice on the prevention of lower leg and foot conditions and the failure to correctly diagnose and treat them.

We started the coalition in 2018 along with seven other organisations to increase awareness, understanding and action on lower leg and foot conditions among the public and healthcare professionals. To this end, Legs Matter hosts an annual awareness week as well as year–round activities and communications. It’s website is now the go-to resource for professionals and public wanting to understand more about leg and foot health.

We’re proud to be a key part of this important national campaign and a big part of our work is ensuring the campaign continues to grow its reach and impact. 

About the coalition

Legs Matter is a coalition of eight healthcare charities and not-for-profit organisations. In addition to the Society of Tissue Viability, these include:

Accelerate
Accelerate is an award-winning social enterprise CIC that has been working within the NHS for over 20 years to deliver wound and lymphoedema services. The clinician-led team specialise in hard to heal or undiagnosed leg wounds, complex swelling in all areas and the impact of biomechanics and poor mobility. Their world-class centre pioneers and trials experimental new treatments for chronic wounds, lymphoedema and mobility challenges. The Accelerate academy offers world-class training, education and the sharing of expertise and experience.

The British Lymphology Society
Established in 1985, The British Lymphology Society (BLS) is the foremost organisation for healthcare professionals involved in managing patients with lymphoedema/chronic oedema. It provides a strong professional voice for members and seeks to achieve high standards of care and equitable access to treatment across the UK, raise awareness of the condition and promote early detection and intervention.

The Royal College of Podiatry
The Royal College of Podiatry is the academic authority for podiatry in the UK, and an independent charity dedicated to foot health research, education and public awareness. The College is the public facing and academic arm of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists – the professional body for the UK’s registered podiatrists. Podiatry is the field of medicine that specialises in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the foot and lower limb.

Foot in Diabetes UK
Foot in Diabetes UK is a multidisciplinary group with over 2,000 members. It is an organisation dedicated to continuous improvement in the care and management of people with diabetic foot problems. The aim of FDUK is to support healthcare professionals to deliver high quality clinically-effective care in order to improve the lives of people living with diabetic foot problems.

Leg Ulcer Forum
The Leg Ulcer Forum (LUF) was established in 1993 by a group of expert enthusiasts and is now a dedicated executive comprising specialist practitioners and educationalists involved in clinical and education practice. The LUF also has a network of committees in Scotland and Ireland as well as key links to Wales ensuring evidence based practice is promoted throughout the UK.

Lindsay Leg Club Foundation
The Leg Club Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting the wellbeing of people with leg-related problems, regardless of age. Formed as a registered charity in 2005 it acts as an umbrella organisation to promote and support health promotion initiatives include raising awareness of preventative management of all aspects of lower limb disease amongst the public.

Society for Vascular Nurses
Founded in 1993, the Society for Vascular Nursing (SVN) is a not-for-profit organisation for vascular nurses throughout the UK. Through a culture of sharing, we promote excellence in clinical practice, education and research. The SVN ethos is to ensure that our members have access to education and support ensuring vascular nurses have the correct foundation to provide optimal care for patients with vascular disease.