The routine national vaccination programme protects against a number of diseases that can have a significant impact on health. Not only does vaccination save lives, it can also mitigate disease severity and provide some protection for unvaccinated individuals.The UK schedule is also now a lifelong programme, with some neonates, such as those at risk of hepatitis B infection, being offered their first vaccine on their day of birth, and other vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine, being recommended every single year for those eligible. Although several new vaccines have been added to the schedule over recent years, clinicians can expect programmes such as the influenza one to continue to expand. To ensure that the optimum benefits of vaccination are achieved, it is essential to maintain high vaccine coverage in communities to protect both the individual vaccinated and offer some indirect protection for those who remain unvaccinated. This article reviews the current schedule, considers the impact of vaccination and highlights actions that can be put in place to achieve high coverage.
This article uses the University College London Institute of Health Equity’s (IHE) 2013 report, Working for Health Equity: The Role of Health Professionals, as a framework for considering ways that nurses in clinical, educational, or managerial roles in primary care can help address health inequalities using a social determinants approach.
Although organisations such as the British Medical Association (BMA, 2011), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2012), the Royal College of Physicians (RCP, 2010) and Public Health England (PHE, 2014) have set out how doctors and nurses can address inequalities, in the author’s opinion there is little written about how general practice nurses (GPNs), in commissioning, education or clinical roles, can specifically help.
This feature asks experts in their particular field to take a look at a therapy area and examine some of the challenges that general practice nurses (GPNs) may face. In this issue, we look at the use of an advanced wound technology in clinical practice...
With the current shift in patient care away from hospitals, more and more patients with complex wounds are being seen in primary care settings. This challenge means that clinicians need to take a proactive approach and ensure that the wound dressings they choose will stimulate the biochemical process and create the optimum environment for healing. This article asks Heather Newton, a tissue viability nurse consultant, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and Corinna Mendonca, a dermatological consultant, Bolton NHS, why dressings with the TLC Healing Matrix (hydrocolloid particles and lipophilic substances which encourage new granulation tissue through fibroblast proliferation) are used in their clinical settings.
This piece was sponsored by an educational grant from Urgo Medical.
In each issue of the journal we speak to general practice nurses and hear what they have to say about their role in primary care.
Beverley Bostock-Cox, nurse practitioner, Mann Cottage Surgery, Moreton-in-Marsh; education lead, Education for Health
Welcome to GPN’s learning zone. By reading the article in each issue, you can learn all about the key principles of subjects that are vital to your role as a general practice nurse.
Once you have read the article, visit:
www.journalofpracticenursing.co.uk/learning-zone/
Evaluate your knowledge on this topic by answering the 10 questions in the e-learning unit; all answers can be found in the article. If you answer the questions correctly, you can download your certificate which can be used in your continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio as evidence of your continued learning and contribute to your revalidation portfolio.
Welcome to the second issue of GPN. We have had quite a remarkable spring, from new funding opportunities for our programmes of study to recognition of our clinical educators — a great deal has happened in the world of Education for Health.
With summer around the corner we’re really excited to be introducing a new range of modules which focus on the importance of prevention, a small taster of which can be found in this update. In addition, you’ll find information about our popular range of ARTP accredited spirometry courses.
We hope that you are excited about our news and this gives you cause to join us in working towards our vision: Everyone living with a long term condition receives high quality care and is empowered to manage their condition.
Practice matters: In each issue of the Journal of General Practice Nursing we investigate a hot topic currently affecting our readers. Here, Binkie Mais looks at how GPNs are placed in new models of care and asks the question...Can the GPN workforce meet the challenge of increased demand?
Indications Debrisoft® is a rapid, highly effective, safe and easy method of debridement for acute andchronic wounds. Debrisoft® is also very effective in the removal of hyperkeratosis from the skin.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
It registers, monitors and inspects providers of regulated activities, including GP practices. Registered providers are expected to meet the regulations set out in the Healthand Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (http:// bit.ly/1FqzH78) and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 (http://bit. ly/1GvIKre).
The number of people living with diabetes is going up and up and shows no sign of slowing down. There are now 3.9 million people living with the condition (Health and Social Care Information Centre [HSCIC], 2014) and, if nothing changes, this number is projected to rise to five million by 2025 (figures based on Association of Health Professions in Ophthalmology [AHPO] diabetes prevalence model — http://bit. ly/aphodiabetes). A growing number of people with diabetes are experiencing devastating complications, leading to premature deaths and unsustainable costs to the NHS.
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