The King’s Fund warns of the effects of staff shortages in district nursing, and the importance of district nurses for patient care
The report includes interviews with district nursing staff, patients and unpaid carers. It highlights the key role that these services play, and their importance for many people living with complex health and care needs.
The King’s Fund argues there is a “profound and growing gap between capacity and demand.”
Kathryn Yates, RCN Professional Lead for Primary and Community Care said: “District nurses are an essential lifeline to many people, managing diverse and complex health needs and enabling in particular the frail elderly to receive care closer to home, in their own home or in residential care.
“They are highly qualified, skilled and experienced nurses with expertise which includes palliative care, medication and wound management.
“It’s two years since the RCN warned that the district nurse role was in danger of extinction, yet the situation is at least as bad today. District nurses and their teams are being stretched to the point where quality is at risk – and there is no sign that the rise in demand will abate.”
For full article see Royal College of Nursing 1 September 2016