Keywords: Drug Tariff; wound management; hydrocolloid dressings; semi-permeable dressings; silver dressings.
This article includes all the hydrocolloid dressings included in the Drug Tariff [1]. Proprietary names are included for convenience. Probably the first dressings to fully exploit the concept of moist wound healing, there is still a major role for hydrocolloid dressings in light to medium exuding wounds. Hydrocolloids are not ideal for infected wounds. The dressing requires a margin of smooth skin around the wound to ensure adhesion. Dressings need frequent change with heavily exuding wounds.
For light to medium exuding wounds. Not suitable for infected wounds; heavy exudate necessitates too frequent dressing changes.
Product name | Dimensions | Contact pad | Border | Basic price |
Comfeel Plus Contour Dressing* | 6cm x 8cm | 6cm x 8cm | irregular | £1.89 |
9cm x 11cm | 9cm x 11cm | irregular | £3.28 | |
Comfeel Plus Pressure Relieving Dressing - Circular | 7cm diameter | 7cm | irregular | £2.95 |
10cm diameter | 10cm | irregular | £3.95 | |
15cm diameter | 15cm | irregular | £5.95 | |
Granuflex (Bordered) - Square | 6cm x 6cm | 6cm x 6cm | 2cm | £1.48 |
10cm x 10cm | 10cm x 10cm | 2-2.5cm | £2.83 | |
15cm x 15cm | 15cm x 15cm | 2.5cm | £5.35 | |
Granuflex (Bordered) - Triangular | 10cm x 13cm | 10cm x 13cm | 2-2.5cm | £3.34 |
15cm x 18cm | 15cm x 18cm | 2-2.5cm | £5.21 | |
Hydrocoll Border (Bevelled Edge) - Square | 5cm x 5cm | 3.5cm x 3.5cm | 0.75cm | £0.88 |
7.5cm x 7.5cm | 4.5cm x 4.5cm | 1.5cm | £1.45 | |
10cm x 10cm | 7.75 x 7.75cm | 1.25cm | £2.12 | |
12.5cm x 12.5cm | (4) | 1.5cm | £3.98 | |
Hydrocoll Border (Bevelled Edge) - Concave* | 8cm x 12cm | 9.3cm x 4.7cm | irregular | £1.86 |
Hydrocoll Border (Bevelled Edge) - Sacral* | 12cm x 18cm | 14cm x 11cm | irregular | £3.17 |
Tegasorb - Oval | 10cm x 12cm | 7cm x 9cm | 1.5cm | £2.20 |
13cm x 15cm | 10cm x 12cm | 1.5cm | £4.11 | |
Ultec Pro - Square | 10.5cm x 10.5cm | 6.4cm x 6.4cm | 2.05cm | £1.39 |
14cm x 14cm | 10.5cm x 10.5cm | 1.75cm | £2.24 | |
21cm x 21cm | 15.2cm x 15.2cm | 2.9cm | £4.49 | |
Ultec Pro - Sacral | 15cm x 18cm | 10cm x 12.5cm | irregular | £3.17 |
19.5cm x 23cm | 15cm x 17.5cm | irregular | £4.88 |
*Contoured to facilitate application to difficult areas
For light to medium exuding wounds. Not suitable for infected wounds; heavy exudate necessitates too frequent dressing changes.
Product name | Shape/type | Dimensions | Basic price |
ActivHeal | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £1.52 |
15cm x 15cm | £3.31 | ||
Sacral | 15cm x 18cm | £3.84 | |
Comfeel (Bevelled Edge) | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.37 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.75 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £7.26 | ||
Comfeel Plus Ulcer Dressing (Bevelled Edge) | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.09 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.48 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £6.45 | ||
Rectangular | 4cm x 6cm | £0.82 | |
Triangular | 18cm x 20cm | £4.87 | |
DuoDERM Signal | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £1.79 |
14cm x 14 cm | £3.14 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £6.24 | ||
Heel | 18.5cm x 19.5cm | £4.39 | |
Sacral | 22.5cm x 20cm | £5.13 | |
Granuflex (Modified) | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.38 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.51 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £6.79 | ||
Rectangular | 20cm x 20cm | £4.89 | |
Hydrocoll Basic | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.15 |
Replicare Ultra | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.21 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.40 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £6.49 | ||
Sacral* | 15cm x 18cm | £4.16 | |
Tegasorb | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.24 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.34 | ||
Ultec Pro | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £2.19 |
15cm x 15cm | £4.27 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £6.43 |
*Contoured to facilitate application to difficult areas.
For light to medium exuding wounds
Product name | Dimensions | Contact pad | Border | Basic price |
Tegasorb Thin - Oval | 10cm x 12cm | 7cm x 9cm | 1.5cm | £1.46 |
13cm x 15cm | 10cm x 12cm | 1.5cm | £2.74 |
Product name | Shape | Dimensions | Basic price |
Askina Biofilm Transparent | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £0.98 |
15cm x 15cm | £2.23 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £2.91 | ||
Comfeel Plus Transparent Dressing | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £1.09 |
15cm x 15cm | £2.84 | ||
20cm x 20cm | £2.90 | ||
Rectangular | 5cm x 7cm | £0.57 | |
5cm x 15cm | £1.35 | ||
5cm x 25cm | £2.20 | ||
9cm x 14cm | £2.07 | ||
9cm x 25cm | £2.95 | ||
15cm x 20cm | £2.88 | ||
DuoDERM Extra Thin | Rectangular | 5cm x 10cm | £0.64 |
Square | 7.5cm x 7.5cm | £0.68 | |
10cm x 10cm | £1.12 | ||
15cm x 15cm | £2.42 | ||
Hydrocoll Thin Film | Square | 7.5cm x 7.5cm | £0.61 |
10cm x 10cm | £1.01 | ||
15cm x 15cm | £2.28 | ||
Tegasorb Thin | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £1.47 |
For chronic and acute exuding wounds.
Product name | Dimensions | Contact pad | Border | Basic price |
Alione - Square | 10cm x 10cm | 6cm x 6cm | 2cm | £2.74 |
12.5cm x 12.5cm | 8.5cm x 8.5cm | 2cm | £3.77 | |
15cm x 15cm | 10cm x 10cm | 2.5cm | £4.77 | |
20cm x 20cm | 14cm x 14cm | 3cm | £7.13 | |
Alione - Rectangular | 12cm x 20cm | 8cm x 16cm | 2cm | £4.95 |
CombiDERM - Square | 10cm x 10cm | 5cm x 5cm | 2.5cm | £1.39 |
14cm x 14cm | 7.5cm x 7.5cm | 3.5cm | £1.93 | |
20cm x 20cm | 13cm x 13cm | 3.5cm | £3.71 | |
CombiDERM - Triangular | 15cm x 18cm | 8cm x 11cm | 3cm | £3.34 |
20cm x 23cm | 12cm x 15cm | 4cm | £4.48 | |
Versiva - Square | 9cm x 9cm | 5cm x 5cm | 2cm | £2.22 |
14cm x 14cm | 10cm x 10cm | 2cm | £4.14 | |
19cm x 19cm | 15cm x 15cm | 2cm | £6.45 | |
Versiva - Rectangular | 19cm x 24cm | 15cm x 20cm | 2cm | £7.79 |
Versiva - Sacral | 19cm x 17.7cm | 12cm x 13cm | irregular | £5.49 |
21cm x 22.5cm | 14cm x 15cm | irregular | £7.79 | |
Versiva - Heel | 19.5cm x 18.5cm | 11.5cm x 15.5cm | irregular | £6.62 |
For chronic and acute exuding wounds.
Product name | Dimensions | Contact pad | Border | Basic price |
Alione - Square | 10cm x 10cm | 6cm x 6cm | 2cm | £2.74 |
12.5cm x 12.5cm | 8.5cm x 8.5cm | 2cm | £3.77 | |
15cm x 15cm | 10cm x 10cm | 2.5cm | £4.77 | |
20cm x 20cm | 14cm x 14cm | 3cm | £7.13 | |
Alione - Rectangular | 12cm x 20cm | 8cm x 16cm | 2cm | £4.95 |
CombiDERM-N - Square | 7.5cm x 7.5cm | 5.5cm x 5.5cm | 1cm | £1.09 |
14cm x 14cm | 11cm x 11cm | 1.5cm | £1.94 | |
CombiDERM-N - Rectangular | 15cm x 25cm | 13cm x 23cm | 1cm | £3.95 |
For medium to heavily exuding wounds.
Product name | Dimensions | Basic price |
Aquacel* | 5cm x 5cm | £0.99 |
10cm x 10cm | £2.35 | |
15cm x 15cm | £4.43 |
* Should be covered with moisture-retentive dressing.
Product name | Dimensions | Basic price |
Aquacel Ag - Square | 5cm x 5cm | £1.65 |
10cm x 10cm | £3.93 | |
15cm x 15cm | £7.40 | |
Aquacel Ag - Rectangular | 20cm x 30cm | £18.36 |
Product name | Shape | Dimensions | Basic price |
Contreet Hydrocolloid | Square | 10cm x 10cm | £6.25 |
15cm x 15cm | £12.50 |
Product name | Weight | Basic price |
Comfeel Paste | 50g | £5.89 |
This set of articles is based on an earlier series, Dressings on the Drug Tariff, which ran from July 1997 to November 1998.
1. Prescription Pricing Authority, Department of Health. Drug Tariff. London: The Stationery Office, June 2004.