Smith + Nephew was founded in 1856 and has been a trusted name in wound care for well over 150 years. They're a British multinational medical technology company, now headquartered in Watford, England, with a presence in over 100 countries.

They're the people behind some of the most widely used wound care products in Australian hospitals, aged care facilities, and homes, including ALLEVYN foam dressings, OPSITE film dressings, and PRIMAPORE adhesive dressings. If a nurse or doctor has dressed a wound for you at some point in your life, there's a fair chance it was a Smith + Nephew product.

Smith + Nephew's range covers a wide spectrum, from everyday cuts, grazes, and post-surgical wounds through to more complex chronic wounds like pressure injuries, leg ulcers, and diabetic foot ulcers.

Their product range spans core wound care for exudate management and compression, through to advanced therapies for non-healing wounds and antimicrobial products for infection prevention.

In practical terms: if you're managing a wound at home after surgery, caring for someone with a pressure injury, or just need reliable dressings for daily wound management, there's a Smith + Nephew product designed for that situation.

Both. While Smith + Nephew products are used extensively in hospitals and aged care facilities, their advanced wound care range is specifically designed to treat the most common wounds presenting to pharmacy, meaning they're built for home use too.

Products like OPSITE Post-Op and PRIMAPORE are straightforward to apply without clinical training, and they're available to purchase without a prescription. If you're unsure which product suits your wound type, your pharmacist, GP, or community nurse can help you choose.

Yes, in many cases. Since October 2019, the NDIS has included wound and pressure care health supports related to a participant's disability. This means the NDIS can fund wound care consumables including dressings, gauze, bandages, and tape.

Whether your specific wound care needs are covered depends on your individual plan and whether the wound is related to your disability.

It's worth speaking with your support coordinator or plan manager to confirm what's available under your funding. Smith + Nephew's Australian website also has a dedicated NDIS section that walks through the eligibility requirements in detail.

It depends on the type and size of the wound, how much fluid it's producing, and where on the body it is.

As a rough guide: OPSITE Post-Op is well suited to post-surgical wounds and stitches; PRIMAPORE is a good all-rounder for cuts, abrasions, and sutured wounds; and ALLEVYN foam dressings are designed for wounds with more fluid output, including pressure injuries and leg ulcers.

Each product page on our site includes guidance on what the dressing is best suited for. If you're managing a more complex or chronic wound, it's always worth getting advice from a nurse, GP, or wound care specialist before choosing a dressing.

Yes. Most of the Smith + Nephew wound care products available through Platinum Health Supply can be purchased directly without a prescription. Smith + Nephew wound care products are available through pharmacies and online retailers across Australia.

That said, for more complex wound management situations, particularly chronic wounds or wounds related to a health condition, it's worth involving your GP, community nurse, or pharmacist in the decision. Getting the right dressing for the right wound makes a real difference to how quickly and comfortably it heals.