New TB nursing services launches in Somerset

A new specialist tuberculosis (TB) nursing service has launched in Somerset to
support people through diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
The team includes TB nurse specialists Jemma Evans and Kim Aspinall,
administrator Kate East, and consultants Dr James Davidson and Dr Muhammad
Hassaan.

Their focus is on high‑risk groups, including people experiencing homelessness,
substance dependence, recent imprisonment, or those who have migrated from
countries where TB is more common.

The service supports patients with both active and latent (dormant) TB. Active TB
treatment involves six months of strong antibiotics with challenging side effects, so
the nurses provide intensive wrap‑around care – blood tests, eye checks, home
visits, and regular phone contact.

They also work to reduce stigma, improve access to care, prevent delayed
diagnosis, and limit transmission by reporting cases to the UK Health Security
Agency, and offering latent TB testing to at‑risk groups.

The team aims to reach patients earlier, reduce barriers such as travel costs, and
provide care closer to home through community clinics and GP partnerships.
TB treatment is free on the NHS, and the service helps ensure patients can complete
their course safely and comfortably.

With a 26% rise in TB notifications in England since 2022, the team is keen to
provide education across primary and secondary care and welcomes enquiries. TB
isn’t always the first diagnosis clinicians consider, but it should remain on the radar.
Today (Tuesday 24 March) is also World TB Day – an annual event that aims to
raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic
consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had
discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing
and curing this disease.

“It’s also about prevention,” Jemma explained. “We work hard to reach groups that
are traditionally harder to engage, and we offer testing for latent TB – where the
infection is present in the body but currently inactive – as this is another important
way of stopping the disease in its tracks.”

Consultants Dr James Davidson and Dr Muhammad
Hassaan oversee the service, and the team has established weekly multidisciplinary
meetings, supported by microbiology, to review and discuss patients together.
“During our in‑person appointments, we check bloods, carry out eye checks, and
provide regular support over the phone or via text message,” Kim said.

“We often run clinics at our community hospitals, where we may only see one
patient, but it works much better for them when care is closer to home.

“We’re also grateful for the support we’re receiving from GP practices, all of which
helps ensure these services are as accessible as possible.

“The actual treatment for TB is free on the NHS, but the medication has to be
dispensed from either Musgrove Park or Yeovil hospitals. We can take the tablets to
people, either to their home or their nearest community hospital.”

Many patients with TB choose not to tell their friends or family, which often means
they go through treatment alone or rely solely on support from our TB team.

“There’s sadly still a lot of stigma surrounding TB, so we try to meet patients at their
level and support them as much as we can,” Jemma added.