District Nurses fear for future of patient care, UK

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 28 Aug 2005 - 7:00 PDT

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Britain's specialist community nursing union - the Community and District Nursing Association (CDNA) today warned that patient care could suffer as a result of the changing role of Primary Care trusts.

The publication of the paper, Commissioning a Patient-led NHS, by Sir Nigel Crisp has led to a serious questioning of how community based healthcare will be administered. Anne Duffy, Director of the CDNA said,

"Our members are always at the sharp end when NHS reorganisation is mooted. This will be an anxious time for those working in community and district nursing - we have experienced a turbulent time in the NHS in recent years, we need stability to get on with what we do best - caring for the sick and vulnerable"

The CDNA will be consulting with its members throughout the UK on the future employment and management arrangements for community based practitioners. At the forefront of staffs concerns are:

Who exactly will be our new employers - is self employment really a serious option?

Contestability. What will this mean in practice? What role will the private sector have?

What are the implications for bands that have recently been agreed as part of 'Agenda for Change'

If community practitioners will be working in a more detached role, how do we ensure appropriate levels of professional supervision?

Anne Duffy continued:

"Although there are many issues to clarify there are potential benefits for community practitioners and the services that they provide - in particular the possibility of our members taking on a more entrepreneurial role under these plans. We would welcome the opportunity to innovate - creating new ways and services to improve health care delivery which boosts the individual role and collective professional identity of community based practitioners.

The Department must ensure that proper consultation is undertaken and important decisions are not rushed. We need to get this right."

For further information please contact Nik Clifton at The Campaign Company on 07834 153 856 or Nik@thecampaigncompany.co.uk

1 The CDNA is a specialist trade union representing nurses, healthcare

assistants and all other primary care practitioners working within the community. 2 The CDNA has over 4000 members throughout the UK

Community & District Nursing Association
Walpole House
18 - 22 Bond Street
Ealing, London
W5 5AA
Tel: 020 8231 0180
Fax: 020 8231 0187
http://www.cdna.tvu.ac.uk

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Kieth Hadsmith. "District Nurses fear for future of patient care, UK." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 28 Aug. 2005. Web.
13 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/29794.php>

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APA

Kieth Hadsmith. (2005, August 28). "District Nurses fear for future of patient care, UK." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/29794.php.

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