The community nurse team is made up of senior district nurses, who lead a team of community nurses and healthcare assistants providing community healthcare services for house-bound patients who may well be acutely unwell, have a long term condition, require palliative care or those that require intensive and technological care.
As well as treatment, nurses can offer advice and support with health concerns, working together with GPs to prevent unnecessary or avoidable hospital admissions.
The team visit house-bound patients to provide advice and care, for example: palliative care, wound management, medication support, catheter and continence care, and to assess patients' needs for equipment provision such as specialist beds and mattresses.
If the patient can leave their home (either escorted or unescorted) and travel on foot, wheelchair, by public transport or dial-a-ride, they will be asked to attend the nearest clinic instead.
Patients who can attend GP, dental or hospital appointments are not considered housebound.
The community nurse team work in partnership with hospices, primary, community and secondary care health services, and the voluntary sector.
The service provides a 24-hour service, 7 days a week. However, it is not an emergency service. If patients need urgent help, they should contact their GP or call 111. In an emergency, they should call 999 for an ambulance.
Referrals
All referrals to the district nursing teams should be made using the HRCH referral form through the Single Point of Access service (SPA).
SPA referral form