Community nursing middle management: 'dealing with different people in different time zones on both sides'

The overall aim of the investigation was to redress a knowledge gap by exploring community nursing middle managers' (CNMMs') experiences of role enactment through change within Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) in Scotland-now further evolved into Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs). HSCPs play a key role in shifting care from the acute to the primary care/community setting. However, a literature review demonstrated there has been very little research into the role of CNMMs within the changing primary care context. This concept was considered important in understanding how CNMMs enacted their roles to implement service change. A qualitative longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) ( Smith, 1996 ) study was conducted in four distinct phases, comprising the reflexive, foundational, recursive and expansive, from 2008-2011. Some 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants. CNMMs perceived that their responsibilities had increased, become more complex and wider ranging. Maintaining an implicit connection with service users was a primary motivation for CNMMs. They were proud to be members of the nursing profession aligning their identity with their career history. A small but significant proportion resigned during the study and some were considering leaving the NHS. The study addresses a gap in literature, contributes to the understanding of NHS community nursing, middle management, role, change and gives a voice to CNMMs in Scotland. They are the lynchpins in taking change forward and maintaining quality services. Much more attention needs to be paid to the needs, constitution and sustenance of middle managers in Scottish community nursing-which has policy, practice, education, and research and retention implications.