District nurses: provide care and practical assistance to enable older people to live as independently as possible. Prescribe from a limited drug formulary. Often have contact with community pharmacists and may require information on medicines availability, formulations, drug-drug interactions and side effects.

Practice nurses: have a similar role to district nurses but work more with patients on the GP practice list. They are involved with health promotion, screening, immunisation and travel health.

Advanced nurse practitioners: registered nurses who make autonomous professional decisions, screen for disease risk factors, and diagnose and treat patients. In the community, they are generalists and work to provide complete care, including prescribing for acute and chronic conditions.

Community matrons: nurses named as case managers or coordinators for vulnerable older people who frequently visit hospitals or have long-term conditions. They aim to prevent hospital admission and improve quality of life.

Community psychiatric nurses: provide continuous care to older people with mental health problems.

Other nurses: have specialist roles in the community, such as continence and stoma care and can also be linked to specific conditions. Non-specialist nurses work in community settings, including intermediate care homes, rapid response and supported discharge teams. Care home nurses provide 24-hour care and are involved in medicine administration. Many rely on community pharmacies for information and advice.