Alison While

Growing old in the UK

‘Community nurses should encourage older people to access healthcare when needed and support the re-establishment of normal behaviours to mitigate the risks of social isolation and loneliness so...

Does primary care need reform?

‘In England, there are 6 million people waiting for NHS care, including specialist mental health care, and referral to treatment waiting times are growing ever longer, with 63% of patients waiting...

The world has changed

Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

‘Emphasising the social benefits of vaccination may reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, perhaps because it shifts attention away from the individual and to the collective good’ .

Assuring good deaths at home

‘It is to be hoped that “building back better” following the pandemic will include strategies to reduce social isolation, especially among the vulnerable and those at the end of their lives.’ .

Housing and older people: addressing the need

‘The post-pandemic challenge is to repair and rebuild the disrupted relationships and social lives of older people as a way of providing meaning and fulfilment and establishing healthy,...

Can integrated care deliver?

‘Integrated care, with collaborative working between and across health and social care services, was seen as the panacea to achieve improved outcomes and care quality, avoid unnecessary admissions...

Valuing the district nursing workforce

Coming to terms with loss

‘Widowers and widows desired support to achieve inclusion and togetherness while being reluctant to ask for help, which suggests that both community nurses and families can help identify those who...

What is ‘normal’?

𠄘It would be good if normality after the pandemic retains the successful innovations, partnerships with voluntary organisations and recognition of the health service and healthcare providers as...

The importance of place

While each coastal community reflects its unique blend of history and culture as well as its geography, old resort towns and old fishing and trading ports may share common challenges that are...

We are not out of the woods yet

‘It will require the NHS and its staff, in addition to persuasive information campaigns, to promote yet another mass vaccination effort during the autumn, so that as many of the potentially vulnerable...

Growing old and tired?

‘The retention of older district nurses within the workforce will be critical for retaining wisdom and expertise as well as for educating new and replacement registered nurses entering community...

Evidence-based strategies to promote vaccine acceptance

The range of psychological, physical and contextual barriers to vaccination uptake are set out in a previous paper (While, 2021).

Constipation should be managed

‘Community nurses can make the difference to their clients' lives by building on their existing strong rapport to engage in intimate professional conversations so that constipation can be identified...