Welcome to our December/ January issue and I am sure that you, as I am, are all wondering where this year has gone and feeling that each year seems to pass faster than the previous one! Is it a sign of our age or reflective of our lives being so busy that the days, weeks and months merge? At this time of year, I always find it useful to take a little time to reflect, asking myself what I have achieved over the past year, could I have aimed higher and what differences have I made to patients’ experiences. It really is a useful approach to take and drives/guides me into the coming year. Please try it — acknowledge the highs and the lows, plan for the coming year and stay strong. Our ‘Community matters’ feature follows a similar concept — it reflects on our NHS and community nursing, discussing previous plans and asking: are we fit for the future? Please take some time to read the summarised main points of our new 10 Year Health Plan — it may support your own reflective practice and drive you into 2026.