The PHA provides nursing leadership on the Bamford specialist high support services steering group and associated work streams, which include forensic services, personality disorder services, low secure services and prison mental health. The work of these groups has resulted in the:
Neighbourhood nursing: a focus for care (Cumberlege Report, 1986) recommended that community nurses should be able to prescribe, as part of their everyday nursing care, from a limited list of items. The Crown Report (1989) endorsed nurse prescribing and highlighted the circumstances in which it could occur, and a successful private members bill led to the primary legislation (Medicinal Products: Prescription by Nurses etc. Act 1992) that provided the power for nurses to prescribe.
The community nursing service teams provide nursing care to patients in the community, and support for carers.
Community nurses work closely with GPs, social services, hospitals and other healthcare staff to provide a service tailored to meet individual needs. The service helps patients cope with ill health and disability, thus allowing them to have the best possible quality of life, while maintaining dignity and respect.
The PHA Nursing team provides professional nursing advice and guidance to primary care services by contributing to the corporate nursing and midwifery objectives for the PHA, HSCB, GP practices and Federations