We spoke to Irene Scott, a community nurse from Fife, and part of this year’s cohort undertaking the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme, about the innovative and practical ways she is taking health promotion into communities.
Irene Scott has worked in nursing for 30 years, working for 18 years as a theatre nurse, before making the move to community nursing nine years ago. She works as a practice nurse at Inverkeithing Medical Group, the biggest practice in Fife, supporting a range of patients from different demographic groups, mainly to manage their long-term conditions.
“Community nursing is amazing,” is how she sums up her work.
Alongside her work in a GP practice, last year Irene began working with RSABI, a Scottish charity that offers emotional, financial and practical support to those working in agriculture, providing health monitoring at the Royal Highland Show. As this was so successfully received, this led to a six-month trial of innovative health promoting Health Huts at ANM Thainestone Mart in Inverurie. The pilot was so successful that the Health Hut is now open at the Mart’s main sales.
In keeping with RSABI’s focus on both mental and physical health, the Health Hut visits markets to offer a health ‘MOT’, including blood pressure, HbA1c and cholesterol checks.
As Irene who is from an agricultural background and stays on the family arable farm in West Fife explained: “Agriculture is a stressful industry and yet, due mainly to time pressures, farmers are not seen regularly in GP practices. The majority of farmers are men, a group that would otherwise not have regular health checks, which is another factor. So it makes sense to go to them. The agricultural sector also has a high rate of suicides so the Health Hut offers a chance for agricultural workers to discuss any health concerns, either mental or physical, with someone who understands the sector ”.
Preventative medicine is the way to go and, as stats from current Health Huts show, about 1 in 3 of those who were tested have raised blood pressure, which would have been left untreated, without these farmers having access to the Health Hut.”
This summer, the Health Hut has already been to various agricultural shows including the Royal Highland Show. It was recently rolled out at Lanark Market, and the NSA Scotsheep event, where targeted health promotion focused on raising awareness of ticks and the risk of Lyme’s disease.
There are also plans to take it to other agricultural events, show and markets across Scotland over the coming year and to offer information focused on other significant health conditions that are particularly relevant to those working in farming, including Parkinson’s disease and skin cancer. The Health Hut initiative has also attracted other health care professionals to support people involved in Scottish agriculture.
Irene has also written for Scottish Farmer magazine, which has a regular health promotion column, supported by RSABI.
As a result of her work with the Health Hut, which demonstrates everything that is best about Community Nursing, the GPs at her practice nominated Irene for the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme.
Describing this as a ‘honour’, Irene said: “My initial feeling was ‘it’s just my job’.”
Irene was similarly stunned and delighted when, after interview, she was accepted into the 2024 cohort for the Queen’s Nurse programme.
“I had to read the email a few times to let it sink in.”
Already halfway through the nine-month programme, Irene is already feeling a positive impact. The week-long residential in March, which brought this year’s cohort together was ‘incredible’, Irene said. “It’s great to hear other people’s stories, to see how passionate we all are about what we do, and to realise that we are making a difference in Scotland.”
“The Queen’s Nurse movement is so vital. As well as the chance to build a network with the other nurses in the cohort, which I know will remain after the formal learning is finished, the programme has helped me realise, ‘I can do this’. It’s boosted my self-belief, particularly about the Health Hut work, which brings together my two passions – nursing and agriculture – and I’m also reinvigorated in my general practice work.”
This passion was evident to a reporter who interviewed Irene recently, and subsequently nominated her for the Health and Care Sector Community Champion Award at the Dunfermline Press awards.
“It meant a lot that the nomination came from someone outwith the sector,” said Irene. “It shows the work resonates with people. The Health Hut embodies community nursing. It doesn’t have to be in a building; we have to think out of the box, to focus on people-centred practice that reaches people where they are.
The public has higher expectations of healthcare, especially since the pandemic, and the NHS really needs its services to adapt.”
And what is next for Irene? “To continue with this work. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”
