Comment Resources

Here, Samantha Dorney-Smith, homeless health programme lead, Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI); nursing fellow, Pathway; outreach nurse, Doctors of the World; secretary, London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Groups, looks at inclusion health, the groups and numbers involved, morbidity within those groups and the lack of access to services. She also explores the impact that the pandemic has had on health inequalities and introduces some nurse-led interventions which have enabled better access to services during Covid-19.

Here, Pauline MacDonald, independent consultant nurse; managing director, Infection Matters, talks about the COVID-19 vaccination programme, with some useful information to help community nurses feel confident and competent to discuss vaccination with their patients, relatives, friends and colleagues.

Claire Campbell, chair of the National Nurses Nutrition Group (NNNG) and nutrition support nurse specialist, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, looks at how community nurses can help to tackle malnutrition and identify those most at risk.

The increase in dementia diagnosis and the recognised negative outcomes of acute hospital admission for this patient group, has led to a call for improved community care for people with dementia and their families. Primary care organisations are now exploring ways in which to provide high quality dementia care from peri-diagnosis through to end of life. Here, Emily Oliver, consultant Admiral Nurse and Victoria Lyons, senior consultant Admiral Nurse, explain how Dementia UK is supporting primary care networks (PCNs) to do this through the provision of Admiral Nurses.

(Emily Oliver: emily.oliver@dementiauk.org, @emilyoliverdem; Victoria Lyons: victoria.lyons@dementiauk.org, @viclyons)

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has challenged everyone’s day-to-day lives. The social distancing measures imposed by the government back in March required people in certain risk categories, such as the over 70s, to self-isolate for weeks. This inevitably has had a huge effect on many, as social relationships are vital for their wellbeing and quality of life. Here, Dr Anna Galazka, postdoctoral research consultant, Welsh Wound Innovation Centre in collaboration with Cardiff Business School, Carole Brooke, chair of Nailsea District Leg Club, retired practice manager and Demelza Spencer-Veale, lead nurse, Weymouth Leg Clubs, Two Harbours Healthcare, look at how some Leg Clubs have helped to maintain a community spirit and enable their members to continue to interact.

Here, Nihara Krause, consultant clinical psychologist and founder and chief executive officer of stem4, gives an overview of the resources available for children and young people with mental health needs, and recommends changes that are drastically needed to meet demand and improve services. She also explores work currently being done by stem4 to help identify and support children and young people, and discusses early digital interventions which can help with treatment.

Here, Teresa Burdett, senior lecturer in integrated health care; professional lead for interprofessional learning and education, unit lead for foundations of integrated care and person-centred services, and Lee-Ann Fenge, professor in social care, both from Bournemouth University, explore the rhetoric and reality of the NHS Long Term Plan (NHS England, 2019a) and examine some of the challenges highlighted by the NHS Interim People Plan (NHS England, 2019b), which sets out a game plan for delivery to NHS employees.

Here, Ellie Lindsay OBE, independent specialist practitioner, associate lecturer, CRICP, London and visiting fellow, Queensland University of Technology, and Laura Talbot, clinical audit consultant for the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation, discuss why effective communication is important in clinical practice to help improve the quality of life for individuals living with a PICC line in situ. This feature also recounts Ellie Lindsay’s own personal experience of watching her husband undergo a period of intense cancer treatment, and the difference made by the communication skills and teamwork of healthcare professionals involved once in the correct haematology unit.

Here, a focus group of tissue viability specialists (Box 1) look at the GIRFT programme and how by working together, clinicians and industry can help to prevent variations in wound care.