Practice nurses and integrated care examined

Abstract

Primary Care Groups and Primary Care Trusts have the task of achieving an integrated health care service, serving local communities. A regional Education and Training Consortium commissioned a 1-year study to provide information in order to develop a workforce strategy that aimed to achieve this agenda. The study involved individuals who plan, provide and/or manage primary and community health care service in three Health Authorities, working in partnership. The three phases of data collection included focus groups, individual interviews and a survey, which produced qualitative and quantitative data. The findings outlined in this paper primarily focus on practice nurses and integrated care. Several tensions emerged in this context which could inhibit the development of integrated care. These included conflict within professional relationships, inequality in pay and working conditions, a lack of understanding of how integrated care would or could translate into practice and turbulent environmental contexts. We argue, these tensions often created gaps between policy, practice and professional discourses which, unless acknowledged and understood may result in integrated care remain a health, but unachievable, rhetoric.