Country-specific presentations

Below are the expert presentations from the ‘Nurses leading the fight against chronic disease’ meeting in Washington DC, June 2010 (click here >> for the meeting homepage).

Participants from each country provided an overview of national priorities and policies, as well as current NNA initiatives.   Presentations from the individual countries can be accessed through the links below.  Following reminders about some of the key principles of action planning by Pat Hughes (click here),  participants began the process of drafting action plans to enhance the contribution of nurses in combating chronic disease.

Malta

A new government strategy, including many targets, for fighting chronic disease was launched in April 2010 in Malta. With the island’s dependence on tourism, Malta faces a particular challenge in ensuring that public policies and laws underpinning healthy environments and supporting healthy lifestyles, for example in terms of smoking and drinking, do not conflict with holidaymakers’ expectations. This meeting provides a tremendous stimulus to enable and encourage nurses to participate in the implementation of the strategy as currently few nurses work in the area of health promotion and disease prevention. Building the capacity of nurses through education and training is key. The opportunities for nurses to work in partnership with the government are further strengthened by the fact that ICN’s biennial conference will be taking place in Malta in May 2011.

• Click here for Malta presentation

Panama

Nurses are involved in some health-promoting activities, including smoking cessation and nutrition-awareness campaigns. The NNA plans to implement a wide-ranging information and education strategy to develop the knowledge and skills of nurses to enable them to take a stronger role in fighting chronic disease. They also plan to develop stronger partnerships with communities and patient organisations and to conduct community health assessments.

• Click here for Panama presentation

Slovenia

It is recognised that there is an increasing role for nurses in prevention and treatment in Slovenia.  However, nurses need additional education and training in health promotion and disease prevention, and the NNA will need support to enable them to access appropriate materials and resources.  The NNA will work closely with the ICN Board Member and will also seek to work in partnership with other professional groups.

• Click here for Slovenia presentation

South Africa

The government in South Africa has recently launched a new 10-point plan, and there is still a strong focus on communicable disease especially HIV/AIDS and TB and on delivery of the MDGs.  It is important therefore to identity ways of addressing chronic disease through existing mechanisms and funding streams, and strengthening policy implementation and service delivery. The NNA plans to raise awareness among its members at a series of forthcoming events.They will also seek to work in partnership with relevant personnel in the Ministry of Health, as well as with other professional societies and NGOs.

• Click here for South Africa presentation

United Kingdom

There are a plethora of government and other publications including some recently that have focused on workplace health and well-being.  A new policy direction is to be announced shortly by the recently elected coalition government. It is likely that there will be an increased focus on moving implementation responsibility into local communities. The NNA will continue to work closely with government and to mobilise activists and specialist nurses among their 400,000 members to play a stronger role in combating chronic disease.  As an employer of approximately 800 staff, it is proposed to discuss with the Royal College of Nursing’s Directors of Nursing and Human Resources a variety of initiatives aimed at engaging staff in improving their own health, with a particular focus on increasing physical activity, perhaps using departmental teams and fun competitions and promoting the use of the stairs within the headquarters building.

• Click here for UK presentation

United States

The focus on implementation of health-system reform provides an avenue for nurses to become more strongly engaged in the fight against chronic disease as part of the drive to improve access to coordinated, integrated care.  Currently at policy level, obesity is more of a target than alcohol or tobacco.  ANA has been significantly involved in addressing environmental issues related to toxins and chemicals. They will work to increase awareness of the chronic disease challenge during forthcoming events and may include health risk assessments for participants. They will also focus on helping nurses develop their intervention skills.

• Click here for US presentation