Background: Lymphoedema services are known to be under-funded across the UK, but there is no research detailing the current service provision. Aim: To understand how lymphoedema services are funded and delivered across the UK and their level of resource. Methods: An electronic survey with 19 questions was sent out by email and undertaken by members of the British Lymphology Society (BLS) in July 2018. Results: One-hundred-and-eleven out of a total of 382 completed the questionnaires, representing a 29% response rate. A total of 74.8% of respondents saw patients with all types of lymphoedema and 56% indicated that they saw patients with open wounds. Forty-six per cent of respondents preferred the community model of service delivery, while 32% of respondents did not know who commissioned their service. Some 49.5% respondents reported moderate or severe delays in obtaining compression garments for patients. Conclusions: More information is needed to understand the current service provision across the UK, the survey needs to be adjusted and repeated to gain this knowledge. The outcomes of the survey influenced the production of the Tariff Guide (BLS, 2019a) and Cost Calculator (BLS, 2019b).
