Wound closure strips are special strips of sticky paper, often called ‘butterfly stitches’ these have been used to close your wound and will help it to heal quickly with only a small scar.

Some points about how to look after your wound:

  • Keep your wound clean and dry. If it does get wet then gently pat it dry with a clean towel.

  • Keep your wound closure strips on for 5 – 7 days unless you have been told otherwise by a nurse or doctor.

  • The strips will fall away by themselves. The doctor or nurse may tell you to take them off if your wound has healed. To do this, gently peel each end of the strip towards the middle.

Sometimes a wound does not heal very well. Please contact your GP or your nearest Minor Injuries Unit for advice if any of the following happen:

  • You get a lot of swelling
  • The edges of the wound do not heal
  • You get a lot of pain
  • The wound oozes or leaks

Important:

If your wound closure strips fall off before the wound is healed, then please return immediately for us to make sure that nothing is wrong.

If you have any concerns please go to your GP or nearest Minor Injury Unit or telephone 111 for advice.

Confidentiality

‘The Trust’s vision is to keep your information safe in our hands.’ We promise to use your information fairly and legally, and in-line with local and national policies. You have a right to understand how your information is used and you can request a copy of the information we hold about you at any time.

For further information on confidentiality contact the Information Governance Team:

Information.Governance@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 603961

Feedback

We appreciate and encourage feedback, which helps us to improve our services. If you have any comments, compliments or concerns to make about your care, please contact the Patient, Advice & Liaison Service:

pals@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 814008 or 01946 523818

If you would like to raise a complaint regarding your care, please contact the Complaints Department:

complaints@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 936302