Smith & Nephew Supports World Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention Day

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Nephew (LSE: SN; NYSE: SNN), the global medical technology business, is supporting The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) in its observance of World Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention Day, aimed at increasing awareness and education about the importance of pressure ulcer prevention in the U.S.

Pressure ulcers, also commonly referred to as bed sores, impact nearly 2.5 million patients and account for approximately 60,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.ⁱ  Often associated with severe pain, pressure ulcers are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue, thought to be caused by prolonged pressure on the skin.ⁱⁱ

"At Smith & Nephew we support healthcare professionals in their daily efforts to improve the lives of their patients and we are proud to support NPUAP's World Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention Day," said Glenn Warner, President, Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management. "As an organization, we are deeply committed to educating patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals about the importance of pressure ulcer awareness and prevention. We believe that, when armed with the right information, preventative measures and effective treatment options, both patients and healthcare professionals can work together to lessen the burden and occurrence of pressure ulcers."

In addition to the quality of life impact that pressure ulcers can have on patients and their caregivers, there are also financial implications.  It is estimated that pressure ulcers cost more than $10 billion per yearⁱⁱⁱ  to treat in the U.S. and, according to Medicare, each pressure ulcer that is treated, adds approximately $70,000 in costsⁱⁱⁱ to a hospital stay.

Additional information on pressure ulcers and World Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention Day can be found at: http://www.npuap.org/resources/educational-and-clinical-resources/2015-world-wide-pressure-ulcer- prevention-day/

About Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers, or bed sores, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue, thought to be caused by prolonged pressure on the skin.ⁱⁱ They most often develop on patients' heels, ankles, hips and tailbone. People most at risk for developing pressure ulcers are those with medical conditions that may limit their mobility and ability to change positions or that require them to remain in bed for a prolonged period of time.ⁱⁱ Pressure ulcers typically develop quickly and can also be difficult to treat.

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business dedicated to helping healthcare professionals in their daily efforts to improve the lives of their patients. With leadership positions in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Advanced Wound Management, Sports Medicine and Trauma and Extremities, Smith & Nephew has around 14,000 employees and a presence in more than 100 countries. Annual sales in 2014 were more than $4.6 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN).

For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate website www.smith- nephew.com, follow @SmithNephewplc on Twitter or visit SmithNephewplc on Facebook.com

Forward-looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or may not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading margins, market trends and our product pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied by the statements. For Smith & Nephew, these factors include: economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve, especially those affecting health care providers, payers and customers; price levels for established and innovative medical devices; developments in medical technology; regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or other government actions; product defects or recalls; litigation relating to patent or other claims; legal compliance risks and related investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions, our success in performing due diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption that may result from transactions or other changes we make in our business plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; and numerous other matters that affect us or our markets, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or reputational nature. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors. Any forward-looking statement is based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date of the statement. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew are qualified by this caution. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith & Nephew's expectations.

Inquiries
Patricia Burns
817.900.4000
Smith & Nephew
[email protected]

ⁱ Are we ready for this change?. October 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/pressureulcertoolkit/putool1.html

ⁱⁱ Mayo Clinic. Diseases and Conditions. Bed Sores. Accessed October 21, 2015:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bedsores/basics/definition/con-20030848

ⁱⁱⁱ National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline. Emily Haesler (Ed.). Cambridge Media: Perth, Australia; 2014.

SOURCE Smith & Nephew