As we take time to reflect over the past eighteen months, I am sure that many of us find it difficult to process everything that has happened and all the changes that we have been forced to make. Throughout, we have worked to maintain the safety of our patients and teams and have barely had time to consider our own wellbeing. As we now try to return to some kind of normality, remember to take time for yourself — to renew and refresh. Consider a team night out to socialise and support each other and

have some fun in a different environment. Make plans, share thoughts and look after yourselves and each other. Read our community matters feature (pp. 10–17) — you are not alone.

It is always great to hear about inspiring initiatives in the community which are making a real difference to people lives, such as Gemma Hawtin’s wheelchair skills programme for children,‘Making Stuff Better’, to help them develop independence and participation (pp. 18–19). This piece shows how by working as a team and being open to new ideas, creativity and service improvement can flourish. The work of ERIC, the Children’s Bladder and Bowel Service, also demonstrates this, as despite the challenges of the pandemic, it has diversified to enable the charity not only to survive, but also thrive (pp. 30–31).

The journal again has a variety of clinical articles which cover conditions you face during your day-to-day caseloads. Annemarie Brown takes a thoughtful look at skin damage at the end of life and why some injury is perhaps unavoidable (pp. 36–41). There is also a useful article on catheter valves and how they can help to improve the chances of normal bladder function after removing a catheter (pp. 52–56), while the fourth part in our dementia series explores issues relating to dementia and continence and their impact on patients and families (pp. 58–62).

As always, I hope you enjoy reading this issue. If you have any ideas for articles, please get in touch, as it is always great to hear from our readers. And finally, here at JCN, we are delighted to say that our exhibition and study days are now back on the road. So, why not take a look to see when we are next in your area — www.jcn.co.uk/events/series/roadshow-study-day.

Annette Bades, editor-in-chief, JCN