22 Telecare in the community
Resolution submitted by the RCN Ethics Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress supports the implementation and use of telehealth services in the community for patients with chronic long term conditions
Work led by the RCN Nursing Development Committee
Technology is currently being used to transform health care in the community and telecare looks set to become a valuable resource to enable the independent living agenda - and this was a key theme throughout the Congress 2008. However, in the debate it was also stressed that significant input was required to support the implementation and use of technology.
In pursuit of its goal to become an acknowledged eHealth leader, and to assist nurses acquire new skills and support new ways of working, the RCN has now established a UK eHealth programme and e-Health staff group. To date, two position statements - Patient consent and the electronic health record, and Nursing content of the electronic health record have been developed. In addition, new eHealth web pages, together with a learning opportunity - Do IT now - on basic IT skills, have been produced for the RCN Learning Zone.
The RCN has also responded to a variety of consultations, including the eHealth strategy in Scotland, and has influenced the development of primary care shared records and the marking of electronic health record of violent patients in England. RCN staff and members have also attended stakeholder meetings on prison health IT systems and on mental health informatics in England.
The eHealth agenda was profiled at the RCN's 2008 AGM and led by RCN members and staff at an eHealth conference Moving technology into practice held in Wales in March. The RCN has also been represented at the Department of Health (England) Summary Care Record Advisory Committee and Information Governance Group.
Following its survey of nursing students - which revealed the need for more eHealth and telecare skills - the RCN Information in Nursing Group held a seminar on pre-registration eHealth education, highlighting what is set to become an increasingly important aspect of the nursing role.
Members and staff attended a meeting at the House of Commons on developing assistive technology in health care and the RCN has also participated in stakeholder workshops of an assistive technology project that aims to showcase the latest telecare technologies; the RCN Information in Nursing Group continues to collaborate with Stirling Research Centre on this project.
The RCN continues to strive to influence telecare developments which benefit patients. A business case for 2009/10 has been accepted to develop an online learning resource on telecare and an online survey is planned to gather expert views from practitioners. New guidance is planned for members - to be published in Nursing Standard - RCN Direct briefing sheets are shortly to be updated.