Julie Neylon reports on a project to carry out annual reviews of chronic disease management for care home residents to reduce the number of unplanned hospital admissions

Introduction of the advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) role has enabled nurses to develop their clinical knowledge and skills, providing greater service provision and improved access to healthcare services. It can also help with the challenges of providing care to an ageing population in primary care.

This article reports on the evaluation of an ANP-led clinic in two residential care homes that provides annual reviews for chronic disease management (CDM). A mixed method approach was used to evaluate the service using clinical data obtained from the electronic patient record system and software and patient satisfaction questionnaires. The number of patients receiving CDM reviews in the homes increased as a result of the clinic. Completed satisfaction questionnaires further demonstrated patients’ satisfaction and willingness to engage with the service. The service highlights the ANP’s effectiveness in managing residential care home patients with chronic diseases and improving their access to healthcare services.