SAM’S ON A MISSION

FOCUS ON... COMMUNITY NURSING SAM’S ON A MISSION

Sam Sherrington joins England Chief Nursing Officer’s team as NHS head of community nursing. She talks exclusively to MC magazine about why some of the most diverse, multi skilled, autonomous nursing opportunities begin outside of hospitals.

Sam Sherrington is on a mission – to champion and celebrate the work of our community nurses. She wants a fanfare for this army of men and women who care for people in their homes, keeping them well and managing conditions to keep them out of hospital, and who are there at the end of their life for those who choose to die at home. Her vision is for the world to recognise community nursing as a vital cog in the health and social care system. Sam, a mother of two from Bolton, was an early pioneer for this type of nurse. Unlike most of her peers she didn’t start her career on a hospital ward in a hospital; instead she went headlong to follow her passion into nursing in the community. “At that time, what I did was very unusual. My boss took a gamble by giving a newly qualified nurse a community role.” Now Sam is repaying the favour by giving a voice to the lesser sung heroes of the profession. In her new role as the country’s head of community nursing within the Chief Nursing Officer’s national nursing team, she aims to ensure the voice of the community nurse is heard. For evidence of their impact, she suggests looking at how community health and care teams, many led by nurses, have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sam had scarcely begun her new role in April this year when she had to work fast with community nurses to lead the way for community health and care. She’s proud as punch of the way teams in communities across the country have risen to the challenge. “Community nurses stepped forward without hesitation. They treated large numbers of

She’s proud as punch of the way teams in communities across the country rose to the challenge.

people in their homes, care homes and in supported living settings so there was capacity in hospitals for Covid patients and people who were acutely unwell. People who could be treated at home got the highly skilled care they needed which prevented them from being admitted to hospital.” But Covid isn’t the only challenge. A survey from the Queen’s Nursing Institute International Community Nursing Observatory in 2019 revealed that 46 per cent of district nurses plan to leave or retire in the next six years – and the nursing profession as a whole needs 50,000 new recruits.

Sam says “We need a succession plan. Those planning to leave are incredibly skilled professionals in the community where the majority of care is delivered. An important part of my brief is to develop a system wide plan to encompass new ways of working, continual professional development and innovation to encourage people to stay. In addition, I am hopeful that the recent changes to maintenance allowances for students should help us recruit more nurses. “The recent TV coverage of Mersey Care nurses was brilliant. It showed them leading the way with their exemplary knowledge, skills and professionalism. It was fantastic to watch and will hopefully encourage more people to want to train to become a community nurse,” she says. Above all, Sam’s vision is for people to see modern community nurses for the skilled vital care they deliver – and for them to have decision making powers that match their autonomy of professional practice. “Previously district nurses had a very different role. It’s part of our heritage and we’re very proud of that, but the role has massively evolved.

We have community nurses who prescribe medication, who are highly trained to deliver quality interventions to prevent people needing hospital care. We have nurses who are experts in end of life care so people can choose to die at home knowing they and their families will be supported by people with the right skills, knowledge and compassion. We have 41,000 nurses working in social care.

We have community nurses who prescribe medication, who are highly trained to deliver quality interventions to prevent people needing hospital care.

Our nurses are experts in developing plans to manage the health of large populations. The breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and expertise are incredible and we need to start celebrating that.” With Sam Sherrington at the helm, community nursing will get the recognition it deserves.

Sam is also Head of the Year of the

Nurse and Midwife 2020

The recent TV coverage of Mersey Care nurses was brilliant. It showed them leading the way with their exemplary knowledge, skills and professionalism. It was fantastic to watch and will hopefully encourage more people to want to train to become a community nurse.