Staffing the NHS: Why we need to invest in the community workforce

This section of the Reformer Thoughts report addresses the crucial role of community health workers, not least district nurses, in keeping people out of hospital. In a time of rising demand in healthcare it’s unsurprising that the perennial issue of winter pressures comes onto the radar. The recent publication of the NHS Long Term Plan tried to tackle many different subjects but included relatively little on demand and no concerted effort to understand it. If we want to salve the issue of winter pressures in the acute sector then sustainable and safe alternatives need to be found. Investing in the community workforce could be a significant part of that solution.