Be Wound Aware | SOS: Save Our Skin, 28 September – 4 October 2026
It’s been described as a hidden epidemic, probably because so much of the suffering is wrapped in bandages and endured behind closed doors. More than 450,000 Australians live with chronic wounds that heal slowly, only heal partially, or return.
Medstock exists to “Advance the science of healing.” This Wound Awareness Week, we are supporting Wounds Australia’s call to Be Wound Aware | SOS: Save Our Skin, highlighting the protective role of skin, the importance of timely wound assessment and the support now available to some Australians through the Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme.
When healing doesn’t go to plan
Wounds break skin integrity, but most follow a predictable healing pattern and resolve within 4 weeks.
Chronic wounds behave differently. They fail to progress through the normal phases of healing, typically becoming stuck at the inflammation stage. The body continues fighting a perceived ongoing “threat” and never progresses to forming and strengthening new tissue. Most chronic wounds are pressure injuries, diabetes-related ulcers or venous leg ulcers.
Living with a chronic wound can worsen physical and mental health. It’s also expensive. The average cost of wound products like dressings and medications is estimated to be $86- $340 a month – and these wounds may take many months to heal.
Anyone can develop a chronic wound, but the risk increases when the skin’s ability to repair itself is undermined. That can happen if:
- A systemic condition is present, such as diabetes, malnutrition or connective tissue disease
- A regional condition affects blood flow or nerve function, such as neuropathy, arterial or venous disease, or lymphoedema.
Chronic wounds require a proper assessment of the wound itself and the factors delaying healing, followed by careful management to ease suffering and prevent more serious complications.
Wound healing starts with assessment
There is no single dressing for every ulcer, pressure injury or surgical wound.
Depending on the clinical presentation, a wound dressing may be selected to:
- Manage exudate
- Maintain an appropriately moist wound environment
- Protect the surrounding skin
- Reduce trauma during dressing changes
- Cushion vulnerable areas
- Provide a barrier against external contamination.
Dressings form one part of a broader wound management plan. Addressing pressure, circulation, glucose management, nutrition, mobility and other underlying contributors may also be necessary.
Making chronic wound products more accessible
The Australian Government’s Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme (CWCS) was introduced to help ease the financial burden of long-term wound care, including dressings, bandages and adhesives.
The scheme covers the full cost of approved wound consumable products for eligible people who:
- Have diabetes and a chronic wound
- Are aged 65 years or older, or 50 years or older for First Nations people
- Hold a valid Medicare card
- Meet the scheme’s other eligibility requirements:
- Are not already receiving wound consumables through other government-funded programs
- Have been assessed by a registered healthcare professional who has prescribed the appropriate consumables.
If you have a wound that has not healed, please ask your GP, nurse or treating healthcare professional whether you may meet the CWCS criteria.
Medstock products included in the CWCS
Medstock is proudly Australian-owned and operated, with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certification and a wound care range supported by clinical education and product information.
Many Medstock products are listed on the CWCS, including:
- Foam non-adhesive dressings: Absorbent, non-adherent foam dressings designed to manage moderate to high levels of exudate while providing cushioning and protection.
- Silicone foam with border: Five-layer silicone foam dressings designed for moderate to highly exuding wounds, with a gentle wound contact layer to support less traumatic removal.
- Silicone foam lite with border: Thin, gentle adhesive foam dressings intended for fragile skin and wounds with low levels of exudate.
- Alginate dressings: Calcium alginate dressings for moderately to highly exuding wounds, including ulcers, sinuses and open cavities.
- Super absorber dressings: Highly absorbent dressings designed for wounds producing high to very high levels of exudate, including pressure injuries, vascular ulcers, skin grafts and burns.
Help more people find the support available
Medstock’s basic and advanced wound care range is shaped by clinical experience. Founded and operated by Australian healthcare professionals, we understand both clinical complexity and patient need.
Wound Awareness Week is an opportunity to bring chronic wounds into the open, and to make sure that patients and healthcare professionals know the Chronic Wound Consumables Scheme exists.
For patients and carers: do not accept a slow-healing wound as something that simply has to be endured. Seek assessment and ask whether the CWCS may apply to you.
For GPs, nurses and other healthcare professionals: become familiar with the scheme’s eligibility requirements, registration process and approved product list so eligible patients can access appropriate consumables.
For healthcare organisations and community services: share reliable information about chronic wound warning signs, assessment pathways and the support available through the scheme.
Wound Awareness Week runs from 28 September to 4 October 2026. Visit the official campaign website for resources, education and ways to get involved.
Explore Wound Awareness Week 2026
Disclaimer
All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.
References
- Wounds Australia. (2026). Be Wound Aware | SOS: Save Our Skin. https://woundaware.org/
- Queensland Health. (2025). Chronic wound assessment and management. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/clinical-pathways/residential-aged-care-clinical-pathways/all-pathways/chronic-wound-assessment-and-management