The Queen's Nursing Institute

The Queen's Nursing Institute works with the public, nurses and decision-makers to make sure that good quality nursing is available at home for everyone when they need it.

In this section:

For nurses

Why not enjoy a short visit or a long day out at a National Gardens Scheme garden and show your support for one of the QNI's major funders.

Supporting the Fund for Innovation and Leadership.

Visit our District Nursing 150 website, a celebration of the vibrant one hundred and fifty year history of District Nursing in the UK.

Blood Borne Viruses (BBV)

QUESTION: I work in a Harm Reduction Service and was wondering if anyone has any ideas how my service can increase the uptake of blood borne virus testing without offering financial incentives to our service users? Can you help?

ANSWER: Why do they want to do it without financial incentive? There is nothing wrong with that in my view. If that's not possible, make the service as user friendly as possible, use peer mentoring also.

ANSWER: Within my area we have care pathways set up for testing and treatment of BBVs. The BBV testing is carried out in the hostel setting via referral from the public health nurse for homeless or homeless staff. The system works really well as the patients are given their result and any appointments also in the hostel setting. There is no cash incentive and most patients are keen to receive their results. This package comes with harm reduction and health promotion information. Also we have nurse led referral pathways in to hospital treatment programmes.