Team work and collaboration: the position of district nursing 1948-1974

Much has been written regarding the challenges facing district nursing in light of the constant change and development of the NHS. This paper follows the chronological development of district nursing up to the reorganization of the NHS in 1974. The paper commences with a brief outline of the origins of district nursing as a charitable activity before the inception of the NHS and moves on to consider the relationship between district nurses and general practitioners. A review of policy and legislation identifies that district nurses, in the early days of the NHS, were working for the GP, no longer an autonomous practitioner of a charitable organization. Other challenges experienced by district nurses included being employed by the Local Health Authority, a separate organization to the NHS. By exploring the clinical practice of district nurses, alongside the management and organization of district nursing it is possible to critically discuss the challenges facing district nurses in the current health care climate of teamwork and collaboration.