District nursing event puts the focus on population health and wellbeing
Over 30 district nurses, senior community staff nurses and community staff nurses representing our district nursing teams in Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Ballymena have attended a conference to discuss and explore the theme of population health and wellbeing.
Reflecting on the success of the event, District Nurse Coach Marion Orr, said: “Promoting health and wellbeing for the population is every nurses’ business and district nursing see this as pivotal to their role. The number of attendees who took time out of their busy schedules to attend is testament to this, and it reflects their ongoing commitment to health promotion, prevention and social prescribing.
“Demographic changes, an ageing population, sedentary occupations and lifestyles contributing to long term conditions and socio-economic challenges have culminated in the overarching governmental strategic direction of ‘improving the health of the population’ which is also central to the Trust’s Corporate Plan.
“Throughout the morning, we learned more about this in action, and the important role of our district nurses. They work in partnership with patients, carers, families and communities and possess a unique insight in to the community they work in. This gives them the ability to influence healthy behaviours of people on their caseload and the wider family circle.”
Population Health Management was evidenced at the event by an evaluation of Neighbourhood District Nursing (NDN), a community-nurse led model of care in Ballycastle and Cushendall, as part of a pilot across all Trusts in Northern Ireland. It highlighted that population health profiling is the first step in producing a Population Health Improvement Plan; an upstream approach to proactive health promotion and public health.
Presentations from District Nurse Seanna McNeill and Senior Community Staff Nurse Donna O’Kane (Moyle Urban, Neighbourhood District Nursing Team), District Nurse Susan McGavock (Coleraine South) and District Nurse Paul Cupples (Ballymena East) focused on self-management support for a patient, a falls prevention health improvement plan and interaction with a local community group/social prescribing. Maria Betts, Advanced Nurse Practitioner concentrated on the concept of rural, frailty and loneliness, having just published a journal article in this area.
A wide range of speakers also took part in the event, contributing to interaction and learning. This included Deirdre Cunningham, Public Health Agency, Elizabeth Craig, Primary Care MDT Lead, Claire Ramsey and Sabrina Lynn, Connect North, Yvonne Carson, Rural Health Manager, Nick Moffett, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Home Safety Officer, Linda Craig, Regional Lead for Patient Client Experience Programme and Thelma Swann, Project Lead for Care Opinion, Patient Client Experience Programme.
Building on the success of this event, a further conference is planned in the autumn for East Antrim, Antrim and Mid-Ulster district nursing teams.
23rd April 2025
