An apparatus for cleansing wounds in which irrigant fluid from a reservoir connected to a conformable wound dressing and wound exudate from the dressing are moved by a device (which may be a single pump or two pumps) for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for providing simultaneous aspiration and irrigation of the wound, and means for stressing the wound bed and optionally tissue surrounding the wound. The former removes materials deleterious to wound healing, while distributing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing over the wound bed. The latter promotes wound healing. The dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.