Meeting the needs of vulnerable patients: The need for team working across general practice and community nursing services

TY - JOUR

T1 - Meeting the needs of vulnerable patients

T2 - The need for team working across general practice and community nursing services

AU - Bliss, Julie

AU - While, Alison E

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - General practitioners and district nurses have a long history of providing care outside the hospital setting. With health care increasingly moving out of the hospital setting, there are more opportunities for general practitioners and district nurses to work together to meet the health needs of the local population. However, the reduction in qualified specialist practitioner district nurses over the last decade is concerning. The need for an effective district nursing service has been recognised by the Department of Health in their own model - the nature of district nursing work, often over a long period, enables relationships to develop with the patient, family and informal carers as a basis for anticipatory care to manage long-term conditions. Communication and understanding of the role are central to enhance effective working between general practitioners and district nurses, which can be fostered by engagement in community-oriented integrated care and case management.

AB - General practitioners and district nurses have a long history of providing care outside the hospital setting. With health care increasingly moving out of the hospital setting, there are more opportunities for general practitioners and district nurses to work together to meet the health needs of the local population. However, the reduction in qualified specialist practitioner district nurses over the last decade is concerning. The need for an effective district nursing service has been recognised by the Department of Health in their own model - the nature of district nursing work, often over a long period, enables relationships to develop with the patient, family and informal carers as a basis for anticipatory care to manage long-term conditions. Communication and understanding of the role are central to enhance effective working between general practitioners and district nurses, which can be fostered by engagement in community-oriented integrated care and case management.

M3 - Article

C2 - 25949736

SN - 1757-1472

VL - 6

SP - 149

EP - 153

JO - London Journal of Primary Care

JF - London Journal of Primary Care

IS - 6

ER -