An ageing population and increase in people living with long-term conditions have heightened the practical and financial pressures on health services. Preventative public health projects are now viewed as crucial to protecting health, reducing the financial and personal costs of illness, and consequently protecting health services.
Undoubtedly, the challenges faced by community nurses are on the rise due — but not limited to — several factors: the NHS being under severe financial scrutiny; the drive for a seven-day service; policies that mean more care is being delivered in the community setting; and rising patient numbers resulting in less time available to spend with each patient. Coupled with a reduction in recruitment which means that there still aren’t enough nurses in the profession, this is a potent mix of factors that has contributed to a creaking NHS.
The contribution that community nurses make in terms of patient care is immeasurable. Many patients would prefer to be treated at home if they could and there has long been a drive to move care out of hospitals and into the community.
Independent Age is a charity that provides an established voice for older people, the greatest users of the NHS. As we continue to live longer, putting more strain on services, we all need to prepare for what might be an uncertain future. As more people live for longer with chronic conditions, they will need support, much of it being required in the home.
The most significant change to nurses’ regulation in a generation was confirmed at the end of October — England, Scotland and Wales are ready for the implementation of NMC revalidation for nurses and midwives from April, 2016.
How exactly do you convey to students the difficulty of dealing with patients in their own homes? Here, Cathy Greaves, district and Queen’s Nurse, explains how simulated learning helped her students...
Alex Munro is a registered nurse with a background in unscheduled care as a nurse practitioner. He is the co-founder and clinical director of Hallam Medical, the primary care recruitment specialist.
It’s been a great summer for many reasons — lovely weather and fun holidays along with sporting triumphs in the worlds of athletics, cricket and tennis. And England and Wales are the proud hosts of the Rugby World Cup with expectations high for the home nations (let’s not mention England!). However, for me personally this summer took a rather dark turn when I became ill and needed hospital treatment.
Katy Beckford, committee member for the Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists (ARNS) and a British Lung Foundation (BLF) professional.
To help provide nurses and our patients with the extra support they need, the Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists (ARNS) and the British Lung Foundation (BLF) have teamed up to develop a new, comprehensive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) selfmanagement pack. The pack includes a self-management plan and exercise handbook.
Jane Durston, operations manager, British Lymphology Society.
In November, 1985 the British Lymphology Interest Group (BLIG) was formed in Oxford by professionals in the field who identified that this area of medicine was being neglected.
Liz Felton, chief executive, Together for Mental Wellbeing.
Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national mental health charity. It was formed in 1879 and we now run over 70 services across England, supporting more than 4,000 people a month on their journey towards leading independent fulfilling lives. We provide accommodation based support, including some services with clinical input, criminal justice services, advocacy services, and support in the community.
