The law and accountability in district nursing practice.

The Welsh health minister Dr Brian Gibbons commented earlier this year that, 'Of all the professions who work in the community, nurses are the most respected and valued' (Western Mail, 25th January 2005). The minister's words reflect numerous opinion polls in recent years where nursing tops the list of most respected professions (Moore, 2004). Vital to this public trust and confidence is the concept of accountability. In this article, the authors encourage you to reflect on your accountability and evaluate how the law imposes standards of practice and behaviour to protect the public and the patients in your care.