People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in our society. There is no such thing as an average or normal homeless person — they are all unique with their own strengths, hopes, backgrounds, feelings and motivations and all have a unique story to tell about their route into homelessness. Most also have a vision of a life out of homelessness. Just as these personal stories differ, so too do the health conditions experienced by homeless people.
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Helen Brewah is a community matron in Hampshire
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Faye Jeffries is a district nurse team leader at Bristol Community Health.
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Amanda Munday, Community Nursing Sister, and Jane Jennion, Community Staff Nurse are both community nurses who work for Berkshire Healthcare. They work in West Berkshire, which is a large rural area with a spread out population. They aim to deliver care that enables people to stay in their homes, rather than going into hospital.
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Kate Arkley is a community RGN in Connemara, Ireland specialising in tissue viability and wound management. She has recently enrolled as a doctoral student.
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Nicky Darby and her health visiting team at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust.
JCN talks to those working in the community.
Sally Lee, social worker, North Dorset Local Social Services
The number of healthcare assistants employed within the NHS has risen in accord with policies supporting the growth and increasing scope of practice of the assistant workforce. Healthcare assistants are a vital component of the community nursing team. This article presents an overview of findings of a National Institute for Health Research funded study into the roles of community nursing assistants (at bands 2, 3 and 4) working in community nursing provider organisations in England. The findings are based on national workforce data and the experiences and perceptions of senior managers, service leads and caseload holders, who employ or work directly with community nursing assistants to provide adult services nursing care.
Carers play a huge role in supporting people to live at home. In some cases, they provide around-the-clock care for people who would otherwise need to be admitted to hospital or transferred to a nursing home. Carers are crucial to home and community care and yet there is little awareness of, and support for, the important role that they play.
The health of the population is determined by a range of complex and interconnected influences, many of which, such as poverty, inequality, housing, education, employment, mobility, transport and pollution, fall outside a medical remit. In order for nurses and other healthcare professionals to tackle public health, they not only need to engage with individuals, families and communities, but should also have the ability to influence the design and development of services and understand the new relationships with local authorities and other agencies.
Jane DeVille-Almond, Independent Nurse Consultant/Chair of the British Obesity Society; Senior Lecturer at the University of
Wolverhampton.
