Here we will detail some of the latest in national policy affecting community nurses.
A key part of our forward plan is influencing community nursing policy and practice by looking to the future and drawing on the lessons of the past, so this page will also feature details on the policy initiatives that QNIS is involved in.
For any questions on the work below, contact the policy team on 0131 229 233 or via email on rob.mackie@qnis.org.uk / karrie.gillett@qnis.org.uk / clare.cable@qnis.org.uk.
The Scottish Government published Sustaining the Commitment, a review of the 2012 Strengthening the Commitment agenda. The original 2012 agenda was a review of learning disability nursing by the four CNOs to ensure people with learning disabilities across the UK received high quality care.
This 2019 review, published on the 100th anniversary of learning disability nursing in the UK recognises the important role of registered learning disability nurses (RNLDs) in reducing the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities.
NHS workforce being ‘hollowed out’ by registered nurse shortages
The Nursing Times highlights data from the Health Foundation which shows that staff with fewer qualifications are making up for empty nursing posts, leaving 44,000 nursing vacancies.
The Health and Sport Committee published a report arguing that social prescribing “is key to tackling Scotland’s health issues”.
It indicates that social prescribing promotes physical activity while tackling social isolation, reducing the likelihood of developing a long-term condition and minimising dependence on prescriptions. The committee found that social prescribing should be referred to as an investment, rather than a cost, and called for integration authoroties to allocate 5% of their budgets over the next two years. It also found that to narrow inequalities, the majority of the 5% should be spent in the more deprived areas.
Suggesting social prescribing should be viewed as an investment rather than a cost, the Committee called for integration authorities to allocate 5% of their budgets to social prescribing over the next two years. In light of the inequality gap between active and non-active populations, the Committee suggests the majority of any investment is spent in more deprived areas. The report also asks the Scottish Government to provide an update on the recruitment of 250 additional link workers.
Lewis MacDonald, Convenor of the Committee, welcomed the report with a short video.
Dec 2019
Our sister organisation, the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) launched the International Community Nursing Observatory in November 2019.
The International Community Nursing Observatory (ICNO) analyses data and trends in the community nursing workforce data in greater depth, to aid understanding of the challenges faced by services. It will collate and analyse data about community and primary care nursing services at a regional, national and international level.
The ICNO seeks commissions designed to support data gathering and analysis that will provide evidence to enhance service planning and delivery in health and social care settings.
November 2019
The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee opened an inquiry into Primary Care. Phase One looked at the views of the public, and phase two sought requests from organisations.
QNIS, as part of the Primary Care Clinical Professionals Group (PCCPG), submitted a response, and was subsequently asked by the Health and Sport Committee to submit an individual response.
QNIS has been invited to give evidence to the Committee in September 2019.
Health and Sport Committee Future of Primary Care Inquiry
The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee opened an inquiry into Primary Care. Phase One looked at the views of the public, and phase two sought requests from organisations.
QNIS, as part of the Primary Care Clinicians Professionals Group (PCCPG), submitted a response, and was subsequently asked by the Health and Sport Committee to submit an individual response.
QNIS was invited to give evidence to the Committee in September 2019.
Scottish Government – Primary Care: national monitoring and evaluation strategy
The Scottish Government published a report establishing what changes they are seeking to make over the next ten years to reform Primary Care in Scotland. The paper leans heavily on the work of the Primary Care collaboration of which QNIS is a member. (Mar 2019)
Primary Care Clinical Professions Group
QNIS is one of the established members of the Primary Care Clinical Professions Group. This group includes other professional bodies from across Scotland: Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of General Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals Federation, Optometry Scotland, Community Pharmacy Scotland, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, British Dental Association.
The purpose of the group is to be more than the sum of its parts, to be a powerful voice for change in primary care. Already, the definition of primary care developed by the group has been adopted by Scottish Government. The group have responded to the Health and Sport Committee’s Inquiry into the Future of Primary Care (above), and have published papers on the Principles of Primary Care and Digital Technology. For more details, see below
2019
Response to Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee Inquiry on Primary Care
The Primary Care Group collectively issued a response to the aforementioned Inquiry.
2017
Future of Primary Care: a view from the professions This document sets out 21 principles which we believe should underpin the future of primary care services. It also proposes a definition of Primary Care for Scotland:
Most of the time, people use their own personal and community assets to manage their health and wellbeing and achieve the outcomes that matter to them. Primary care professionals enhance this by providing accessible health care and support to individuals and families in the community, when it is needed, at whatever stage of life.
Primary care is provided by generalist health professionals, working together in multidisciplinary and multiagency networks across sectors, with access to the expertise of specialist colleagues. All primary care professionals work flexibly using local knowledge, clinical expertise and a continuously supportive and enabling relationship with the person to make shared decisions about their care and help them to manage their own health and wellbeing.
Primary care is delivered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When people need urgent care out of core service hours, generalist primary care professionals provide support and advice which connects people to the services they need, in a crisis, in a timely
way.
A Digital Strategy for 2017 and beyond: a view from the professions This is a response to a Scottish Government Consultation. It calls for the Scottish Government to produce a digital strategy which enables record sharing across Primary Care.
This series of brief papers on the Transforming Roles programme aims to update stakeholders on the professions’ contribution to the wider transformational change agenda in health and social care in Scotland.
Paper 1: Introduction and Background
Paper 2: Advanced Nursing Practice
Paper 3: District Nursing
Paper 4: School Nursing
Paper 5: Education and Career Development
Paper 6: General Practice Nursing
RCN – Brexit priorities overview
The RCN published their latest version of their priorities for Brexit, on their traffic light system of progress. Their five key priorities, with very little progress made, remain:
- a coherent domestic health and social care workforce strategy, which includes preserving the rights of EEA nationals working in the sector and allows for future migration (amber)
- continuing with appropriate EU education and professional regulatory frameworks for nursing and close alignment with other single market legislation supporting health (red)
- continuing to address public health threats collaboratively – particularly those crossing borders (red)
- safeguarding decent working conditions, health and safety at work and employment rights, many of which were adopted EU wide (red)
- maintaining important opportunities for collaboration across Europe on research and between nursing organisations to share and learn. (red/amber)
Scottish Government – Progress on integration of health and social care
A joint report between COSLA and the Scottish Government provided an update on the integration on health and social care. The report indicated evidence of good progress in some areas, but less in others. (Feb 2019)
Safe Staffing Bill
The Safe Staffing Bill was passed by the Scottish Government. The Stage 3 debate took place on 2nd May. The Scottish Government celebrated the arrival of the first multi-disciplinary workforce and workload legislation in the UK. The RCN welcomed the final debate – in particular, they highlighted the role of the Senior Charge Nurse and their equivalent in the community in co-ordinating safe care and developing nursing teams to ensure they have the skills and experience they need. The RCN will be pushing to have this unique role, and the need for SCNs not to carry a direct patient caseload, to be recognised in guidance.
Folic Acid Fortification Briefing
In partnership with Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland, QNIS has prepared this document to raise awareness of the issues in the Westminster Consultation, and to encourage support for the forthcoming legislation.
QNIS submitted a response to the Consultation, which is available here.
