A home ventilation nursing and allied health professional network

Professional networking provides invaluable support for those working in the healthcare setting. In the United Kingdom (UK), there is an established Home Mechanical Ventilation (HMV) network, but this is not designed to address the challenges facing members of the nursing and allied health professional (AHP) teams working in the actual delivery of this treatment. Objective: To provide and co-ordinate a supportive network for nurses and AHPs who work in the delivery of long term ventilation (LTV) in the community setting. Method: The Specialists in Long-term Ventilation at Home (SiLVaH) group currently has over 120 nurses and AHP members. Many of the LTV services around the UK, and some world-wide, are represented. A conference is held annually, and a very well utilised email forum allows for regular discussion and problem solving about issues pertinent to the speciality of long-term ventilation. The focus of SiLVaH is around practise development, standardisation and service improvement. The conference allows networking opportunities, and the forum facilitates protocol and guideline development, which subsequently receive national endorsement. Results: The SiLVaH network is very highly praised by the group members, reporting benefits in terms of support, being able to discuss operational issues with other teams, as well as have the opportunity to be part of larger audits, practice development projects and research. Conclusion: It is clear from the feedback that this group is found by its members to be of both personal and professional benefit. Home ventilation is a relatively small specialist area, but being part of a larger netowrk provides a benchmark for practice standards, which ultimately improves patient care.