Chronic oedema is a perennial challenge for nurses in primary care, consuming a large proportion of time, energy and resources. Ironically, chronic oedema is both a contributory factor and a consequence of impaired mobility, infection, or wounds and delayed healing. With growing numbers of older people with multiple and complex conditions that limit their mobility, and obesity on the increase, the prevalence of chronic oedema is predicted to rise. With reports of a current prevalence of 6:1000 (National Lymphoedema Partnership [NLP], 2019), this is a depressing prediction.