Ealing Nurse Shortlisted for Two National Awards
Luxmi Dhoonmoon has done pioneering work on pressure ulcer detection
Luxmi Dhoonmoon with a skin tone card used in the process
August 11, 2026
An Ealing nurse whose groundbreaking work is transforming how pressure ulcers are identified in Black and Asian patients has been shortlisted for two national honours at the annual BAME Health and Care Awards.
Luxmi Dhoonmoon, a nurse consultant in Tissue Viability at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), is recognised in both the BAME Nurse of the Year and Trailblazer in Inclusion Excellence categories for her innovative approach to tackling long-standing inequalities in wound care.
Her work began with a simple but troubling question: why were so many patients from ethnic minority backgrounds presenting with late-stage pressure ulcers that had gone unnoticed until they became severe? Pressure ulcers can deepen dramatically if not caught early, and in the most advanced cases can expose or affect underlying bone, causing pain, infection and long-term impact on quality of life.
Luxmi realised that the earliest warning sign – subtle skin discolouration – was being missed because traditional clinical guidance had been developed around lighter skin tones. “Sometimes things are so obvious we overlook them,” she said, reflecting on the moment she recognised that darker skin was masking the first visual cues of tissue damage.
Her solution was both practical and pioneering. She introduced a skin tone card showing a graduated range of skin colours from light to dark, enabling nurses and healthcare assistants to assess changes more accurately across all skin tones. Every member of the nursing and healthcare assistant workforce at LNWH Trust has now been issued with the card, embedding inclusive practice directly into everyday clinical care.
The impact has been immediate. Staff report greater confidence in identifying early-stage pressure damage, and patients who might previously have been at risk of late diagnosis are now receiving earlier intervention.
Luxmi hopes the tool’s potential will extend even further. She is exploring how the skin tone card could be adapted to help clinicians spot early signs of cellulitis, a painful bacterial skin infection that can also present differently on darker skin.
Her dual shortlistings recognise not only a clinical innovation but a shift in thinking: a reminder that equitable healthcare often begins with noticing what has been overlooked, and redesigning tools and practices so they work for everyone.
The winners of the BAME Health and Care Awards will be announced later this year.
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