Abstract
Background Buurtzorg, a model of community nursing conceived in the Netherlands, is widely cited as a promising and evidence-based approach to improving the delivery of integrated nursing and social care in community settings.
Aim This study aimed to examine the transferability of some of the principles of the Buurtzorg model to community nursing in the UK NHS.
Method A community nursing model based on the Buurtzorg approach was piloted between June 2017 and August 2018 with a team of nurses co-located in a single general practice in the Borough of Tower Hamlets, East London. The initiative was evaluated using a qualitative approach within the participatory Researcher-in-Residence model. Participant observation of meetings and semi-structured interviews with team members, patients/carers, and other local stakeholders were undertaken. A thematic framework analysis of the data was carried out.
Results Patient experience of the service was positive, in particular because of the better access, improved continuity of care and longer appointment times in comparison with traditional district nursing provision. However, certain aspects of the Buurtzorg model were difficult to put into practice in the NHS because of significant cultural, human resource, and regulatory differences between The Netherlands and the UK.
Conclusion While many of the principles of the Buurtzorg model are applicable and transferable to the UK, in particular promoting independence among patients, improving patient experience, and empowering frontline staff, the successful embedding of these aims as normalised ways of working will require a significant cultural shift at all levels of the NHS.