Working in the community requires an additional set of skills from working in the acute sector and caseload management is a vital component of the district nurse role. Effective management ensures that the health and social needs of individuals, families, carers and communities are met using available resources. The move to a primary care focused-NHS has led to an increased pressure on the community nursing service, and nurses need a good knowledge of strategies to effectively manage their caseload. This article explores the principles of teamwork and the management of caseloads in community nursing. It explores questions of workload analysis, referral, delegation, skill mix and leadership.