A reality check is needed when it comes to talk over nursing in the community

THE Government's aim to move more NHS care into the community will not be achieved unless action is taken over the “dire state of district nursing”, experts have warned.

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A new report from the Nuffield Trust think tank said one in four district nurses left the workforce in the year to September last year, despite rising demand for care in people’s homes, community settings and care homes.

District nurses are expected to cover every region in England, and services mostly run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Typical district nursing care includes managing wounds, leg and pressure ulcer treatment, end-of-life care and helping people with diabetes.

The new report pointed to a 43% fall in the number of full-time-equivalent NHS district nurses between 2009 and 2024.

Over the same period, there was an estimated 24% increase in the need for district nursing due to the increasing and ageing population.

At current rates, demand will increase further, by 34% in the next 15 years.

Overall, there were 2.8 million fewer recorded district nursing contacts in 2023/24 (29.2 million) than in 2009/10 (32 million).

The new report also said a rising proportion of staff working in district nursing services are not nurses.