A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing negative pressure at a wound site. The apparatus includes a suction pump for generating negative pressure a negative pressure reservoir a valve element arranged to selectively provide a fluid communication path between the reservoir and the wound site while a negative pressure in the negative pressure reservoir is greater than a threshold negative pressure to thereby provide a desired negative pressure at the wound site and wherein in response to a pressure in the negative pressure reservoir decreasing to the threshold negative pressure the suction pump is operable to re establish an initial negative pressure in the negative pressure reservoir.
