Course summary The pressures on the role of the District Nurse have changed substantially over recent years. District Nurses deliver care to patients with a range of complex clinical conditions; these caseload changes are largely as a result of the demographic changes we have seen in recent years (Office of National Statistics (ONS), 2014). An increasingly ageing population and the proposed national shift in the preferred location of care to ‘care closer to home’ (Queens Nursing Institute (QNI), 2013; Department of Health (DH), 2014), has dramatically changed the complexity of the care the service delivers and the dependency of patients requiring such care. These changes have intensified demands on the District Nursing service (QNI, 2015). The aim of this programme is to support the development and enhancement of essential knowledge and skills in the registered practitioner to equip them for a career in specialist community nursing. This will be actualised through building upon the theoretical and clinical basis of their specialised area of practice, through delivery of a coherent programme of study. The award options have a contemporary focus and meet the NMC Standards for Specialist Education and Practice (NMC, 2001) for those aspiring to work within the field of District Nursing. The aim of this programme is to support you in the development and enhancement of essential knowledge and skills as a registered practitioner and equip you for a career in specialist community nursing. This will be actualised through building upon the theoretical and clinical basis of your specialised area of practice and developing your intellectual, personal and professional capabilities.