Publish date: 2 October 2025
At Mersey Care, our commitment to ‘Whole Person Care’ is more than a slogan - it’s a daily practice for our district nurses.
The Holistic Assessment aide memoire is a practical tool that guides clinicians to look beyond symptoms and see every aspect of a patient’s life, considering everything which can impact the patient’s health. It’s been reviewed and updated recently by Senior Clinical Nurses Debbie Roberts and Hannah Kershaw in Knowsley.
Senior Clinical Nurse Debbie Roberts explains what Holistic Assessment means: “It’s understanding not just physical health but also considers mental health, communication needs, nutrition, pain, skin integrity, mobility, even social support and spiritual or cultural preferences. It prompts staff to ask patients about everything from breathing and appetite to sleep patterns, medication routines, and home safety.
This approach makes sure that nothing is missed. A patient’s reluctance to eat might be linked to poorly fitting dentures, or anxiety could be worsened by social isolation. By systematically exploring each domain - like mobility, hygiene, and mental capacity - staff can tailor care plans that truly fit the individual.
It also encourages teamwork, with referrals to specialists such as dietitians, physiotherapists, or social workers when needed. Ultimately, holistic assessment empowers patients, supports families, and helps Mersey Care deliver compassionate, joined up care – for every one of our patients.”
Pam Crehan is new to her role in the district nursing team in Knowsley and told us: “It’s been very useful when assessing patients in areas where you cannot gain access to your laptop. It helps me to ask all the questions I need to complete assessments.
“The EMIS aide memoire has also been very useful, as a relatively new starter, you sometimes feel like you’re asking questions all the time, and even though I have very supportive colleagues, it’s helped me to problem solve myself. It has been valuable with complex patients because it guides you within EMIS to complete referrals.
“I had a new patient referral to complete and by reading through the aide memoire to navigate my way, it prompted me to think of other resources like falls team, continence and OT, I found it very useful and very easy to follow.”
Find out more: District Nursing :: YourSpace Mersey Care
Staff Reminder
Please use the ‘EMIS Nursing Templates’ for all patient assessments, care planning, wound care, catheter care, and clinical reviews. Access the templates via EMIS before each relevant intervention, and always keep care plans up to date.
The aide memoire and nursing templates can be found on our intranet page on YourSpace
If you need support or have questions, speak to your team leader.
Thank you for supporting our patients and delivering safe, high quality care.