UNISON welcomes decision to drop 'community nurse' merger

by Chris Bartter

UNISON has welcomed the government's decision in July not to proceed with the project to develop a new post of ‘Community Health Nurse’ and absorb the jobs of District Nurse, Health Visitor, Public Health Nurse, Family Health Nurse and School Nurse.

After prolonged and sustained opposition by UNISON to the threatened generic community nurse over the last three years, Cabinet Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed in a letter to the unions, that she wishes to retain and reinforce the contribution made by existing community-based nurses in the future.

Bridget Hunter, UNISONScotland’s Lead Officer for Nursing, said: “This is a major triumph for our members in community nursing. After almost three years of resistance our concerns have been eventually accepted as valid.

“Generic community nursing was, from day one, deeply unpopular with staff who genuinely believed that it diluted specialist jobs and reduced the service the community was likely to receive. “It was seen as aiming low to avoid disappointment, rather than aiming high in our endeavour to achieve excellence, and enhance skills.”

The changes to the community based roles were heralded in the Review of Nursing in the Community at the end of 2006 by the then Chief Nurse for Scotland and have been being trialled in development projects in NHS Borders, Tayside, Lothian and Highland Health Board Areas until 2008.

From April 2008 the changes began to be implemented but were then reduced back to pilot projects in the original four areas. UNISON will now continue discussions with the government and the NHS to modernise community nursing services within a team setting.

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