Flora Doig, community nurse, Bridge of Don Clinic, NHS Grampion, Aberdeen. Discusses her community
Within the community there are a wide variety of services provided by charitable organisations, voluntary services and social services, to support the elderly throughout this difficult season. Working on the frontline, I feel a real issue is professionals actually being aware of the services available. Community nurses are ideally placed to advise, refer and encourage the use of the valuable support networks available. Thus, the key is being familiar and knowledgeable about all your local services to facilitate their use and help the most vulnerable at this time of year.
Leg ulcer management presents a significant challenge to primary care, as not only is it costly in terms of resources, but is closely linked to social isolation and low mood. Research has also demonstrated that lonely people are more likely to visit their GP, have higher use of medication, higher incidence of falls and increased risk factors for long-term care (Cohen et al, 2006), thus a greater impact on healthcare services.
With family and friends going away for Christmas, many older people find that they lose their support networks at this time of year. Coupled with an increased difficulty in going outside because of adverse weather conditions and reduced public transport, older people can feel a greater sense of loneliness and isolation during the festive season.
Reaching out to the 12 million people in the UK who are living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a major challenge for The IBS Network. Set up over 26 years ago, the charity provides information, advice and support for people with IBS and
those who care for them, working alongside healthcare professionals to facilitate self-management. This is achieved via a small core office team, supported by a wider voluntary advisory board of medical and healthcare professionals who are
specialists in IBS.
Talk Lipoedema is a lipoedema patient support group operating within the third sector across the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2014 with the simple ethos of supporting and empowering those affected by lipoedema. From small
beginnings, it now supports upwards of 2,000 individuals across the UK and further afield. Talk Lipoedema also has a
network of nationwide representatives who work with the local community, therapists and medical world in their area.
Thanks to everyone who entered the JCN/GPN Outstanding Practice in Wound Care Award 2017. We received a huge number of entries that demonstrated all the excellent wound care being delivered in the community around the UK. We asked for entries that showed evidence of making a real difference in wound care, according to the entry criteria, and are pleased to announce that the winner did just that.
This paper looks at an audit which compared the clinical outcomes of patients with lower limb oedema, who were either treated in a designated leg ulcer clinic or in their own homes. From exploring the findings, the author identified areas for service improvement such as staff training, staff allocation for clinics/home visits and completion and documentation of leg assessments. The piece of work forms part of a wider review of lower limb management within the author’s locality. The findings have facilitated greater discussion with senior management within the organisation around service provision for this patient group and gained valuable support for service and staff development.
In each issue we investigate a hot topic currently affecting you and your community practice. Here, we look at the current state of wound care formularies and ask the question
