Investing in Quality – our new report on community nursing and the future of healthcare
On Wednesday 15th May, Caroline Dinenage MP, Minister of State for Care, supported a new report commissioned by the National Garden Scheme into the contribution of large charities to shaping the future of community nursing and healthcare in the UK.
Minister for Care, Caroline Dinenage said:
“Community nurses and healthcare professionals are among the greatest assets we have, delivering high quality care in what can often be challenging circumstances.
“This is exactly why community health is at the forefront of the NHS’ Long Term Plan which sets out that integrated out-of-hospital care is needed to provide proactive, preventative and personalised care which improves patient outcomes. I look forward to working with the charitable sector to deliver this.”
National Garden Scheme CEO, George Plumptre with MP and Minister of State for Care, Caroline Dinenage
Commissioned by the National Garden Scheme, the report focuses on the work of six well-known charities: Queen’s Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and Parkinson’s UK, all of which are supported by substantial annual funding from the National Garden Scheme and MS Society which was our guest charity for three years from 2016 – 2018. The report also explores the unique contribution of the National Garden Scheme to community nursing and healthcare since its foundation by the Queen’s Nursing Institute in 1927.
George Plumptre, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme said; ‘We are confident this report will make a substantial and timely contribution to the current debate about community nursing, health and care. There is universal agreement that substantial change is required; there is far less agreement, however, as to how that change should be achieved. The report’s content provides some powerful examples of what is possible by highlighting what our beneficiary charities are actually doing now.’
He went on to add, ‘At the same time the report will provide lasting, tangible confirmation of the remarkable – but little known – contribution of the National Garden Scheme for many decades, as a significant and continuous funder of various national nursing and health charities.’
After setting out the scale of the contribution by charities to community health and social care the report examines three key areas focused on by the beneficiary charities: community services; end-of-life care; and specialist care for long-term conditions which together account for a substantial proportion of community health and social care. The report then sets these three into the context of national policy.
‘The report concludes that we need to think differently about the strategic role that large charities can play in the design and delivery of health care. The case studies illustrate how charities are in strong position to understand people’s needs and design services around them,’ adds George Plumptre.
Responding to the report Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive, Queen’s Nursing Institute said: “The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) welcomes this report which explores and showcases the unique contribution of nursing charities to the health and wellbeing of people in their communities.
“As the report so clearly shows, this financial support from the National Garden Scheme contributes to the success of the NHS in so many ways – and there is much that might be learned and replicated from the skills and operation of the QNI and other national nursing charities.”
Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, added: “The voluntary sector cannot solve the issues facing the NHS workforce alone. It is now vital that the Government makes progress on the promises outlined in the NHS Long-Term Plan for England and delivers a fully-funded strategy to grow and develop our NHS workforce so that people get the best possible care.”
Closing the launch event Caroline Dinenage MP said:
“The report demonstrates that we have so much to learn from the charitable sector including maintaining the very close working relationships with the NHS,” said Caroline Dineage, adding: “The National Garden Scheme has, in its 90 plus years of experience, proven the power of charity, the benefits of thinking long-term and the wonderful ability to take something with potential and to grow it into something truly, truly special.”
To read the report in full click here
Image credit – Ben Gold/Marie Curie
