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Despite being largely preventable, oral diseases are the major contributor to chronic conditions nationally and globally. If left untreated, oral diseases have many harmful effects throughout life on our patients including pain and infection, and can lead to difficulties with eating, sleeping, socialising and wellbeing. Oral health inequalities exist across our population, and particularly affect vulnerable, disadvantaged and socially excluded groups in society. Oral health is a key indicator for overall health, and is inextricably interlinked with general health. Hence, existing health messages that community nursing teams provide contribute towards oral health. Community nurses are in an established position to provide and reinforce positive oral health messages to their patients, as well as signpost to available dental services. This paper aims to support community nurses with a practical resource for key evidence-based oral health preventative advice, and input into how their patients can access dental care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital health was given impetus by the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrated its potential for the delivery of safe care in the community. Remote monitoring and virtual wards are becoming mainstreamed across the UK. Artificial intelligence (AI) software has the potential to transform healthcare delivery but its trustworthiness is a key challenge. Positive staff attitudes towards digital health and new ways of working require staff education and engagement. Continued attention is required to meet the needs of those without access to digital technology and its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced practice nursing (APN) roles have developed partly to address demand and workforce issues. In community care settings and general practice, an advanced nursing practitioner is generally understood to mean a nurse who has undertaken additional education and training in clinical assessment, including history-taking and physical examination, clinical reasoning and independent prescribing, so they can safely manage patients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions. Capabilities in the Skills for Health framework cover everything from communication and consultation skills, practising holistically and personalised care, to working with colleagues and in teams. The framework is intended to ensure advanced nursing practitioners work to an advanced level. It is also designed to support them to demonstrate and evidence their capabilities to service commissioners, employers, people accessing healthcare and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the challenges of an increasingly ageing and multimorbid population, patients must be fully engaged to work in partnership with their health professional (HP) in the management of their condition(s). The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) outlines goals to manage the increasing demands on the health service—hospital admission avoidance, shorter length of hospital stays through enhanced recovery pathways, increased management of patients within primary care and ensuring a person-centred approach to care provision. Meeting these goals is predicated on HPs being equipped to activate patients using the skills of motivational interviewing, person-centred care and a willingness to share decision making. This article presents a range of psychological theories that could explain the everyday challenges faced in care delivery. Awareness of these theories may help HPs target their approach to care delivery more effectively, to understand patient responses and, therefore, optimise the provision of person-centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The district nurse and community nurse has a duty of care to provide the most appropriate care for any individual who is at risk of pressure injury. This is often difficult as time constraints mean that education can be absent or reliant on other nurses who may not be up to date with the latest thinking on prevention. Also, district and community nurses cannot be in a patient's home 24 hours a day in order to provide the turning regime that is required for prevention of pressure ulcers. Therefore, they are reliant on education for the carers and provision of the most appropriate equipment for the individual patient. It is vital that the carer not only knows what to look for, but also what to do if any redness is noted and who to call. This article will provide tips on mattress types for the high-risk patient who may or may not have a pressure injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the occupational roles of community health or district nurses in medical care in Great Britain. The authors comment on quality medical care, the history of district nursing, and education and training of district nurses. Other topics include the National Health Services and medical policy.

The author reflects on reports from the Commonwealth Fund, Care Quality Commission, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on the quality of health care services in Great Britain.

The author looks at the potential for improvements in wound prevention and care in community health services in Great Britain, citing the British National Health Service's (NHS's) planning document "Five Year Forward View." Topics include how cost reductions can be achieved in the area of wound care, the move toward patient self-directed care, and the need for multidisciplinary cooperation among medical care personnel.

The author discusses ways nurses can prevent inequality in medical care in Great Britain, focusing mainly on methods of ensuring equal care among patients from racial and ethnic minority groups. She emphasizes the care of Gypsies and Travellers, the role of cultural competence in nursing, and suggests that nurses can improve the experiences of ethnic minorities by focusing on attitude, behavior, and communication.