Personalising public health

Nurses working in primary care undertake an essential role in implementing the NHS Long Term Plan¹ alongside enabling a clear recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. This piece will consider the importance of the nurse in this role and the breadth of expertise, skills and knowledge required within the area of chronic health management and consider how the nurse is instrumental for future changes.

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People who have a chronic health condition wish to remain at home and receive tailored support that enables them to live well and live at home longer. This requires a health professional to monitor the person’s health through an annual review to assess how they are coping with their chronic condition. These are mainly led by a practice nurse who has undertaken further education in this field; this activity is a regular part of their every-day work. People live well at home with a full range of chronic diseases which are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory conditions. However, it also includes people with learning disabilities, mental health, dementia, arthritis, and hypertension.