The District Nursing team provide a 24-hour service, 365 days a year, caring for and supporting patients in their own homes. The teams include, district nurses, staff nurses, nursing associates and healthcare assistants. They work together to improve or maintain the health of mainly housebound people aged 18 and over who are registered with a Kirklees GP. This involves working in partnership with GPs and social care providers, hospital and hospice teams, Macmillan, AgeUK and other third sector organisations to ensure that whenever possible, care can take place at home.
A referral to the District Nursing team will usually come from your GP or when you are discharged from hospital. At your first visit one of our nurses will carry out an assessment and work with you and your family or carer to discuss goals and agree a care plan. The team will:
Our District Nursing teams part of Integrated Community Care teams (ICCTs) which aligned to GPs who work as part of Primary Care Networks (PCNs). PCNs are groups of GPs, community healthcare professionals like Locala, social care, mental health and third sector organisations who all work together to provide high quality care in the community.
As well as providing direct patient care, our team also have a teaching role, working with patients to enable them to care for themselves, this is often called maximising independence or self-care. Our team will help you or your family develop the skills and knowledge to manage your condition. This could be supporting you with administering medication including injections, catheter care or wound care. Our aim is to help you feel confident and in control of your own health and wellbeing, together we will support you to learn more about your conditions and help you develop the knowledge and skills to manage your care independently.
“Just a little note to say thank you very much! To all the district nurses, thank you so much for the care you gave to my mum over the last few weeks. Always having someone there to rely on was reassuring. Thank you again x”
“Firstly, I would like to say that all members of the district nursing team who attended my mum in her final weeks, both at home and at the care home, were truly amazing. Their concern and compassion for both mum and us, her family, was clear to see and made what was a very difficult time for us a little easier to bear. We wish our heartfelt thanks and praise for their outstanding care to be passed on to each of them as a formal compliment.”
“We would like to say how much we appreciated the care, kindness and support you gave to all the family when looking after my mother your professionalism and approachability helped hugely in the very upsetting and emotional circumstances, with thanks.”
Our District Nursing Teams are made up of:
District Nurses: are registered nurses who have taken additional qualifications to specialise as District Nurses.
Community Staff Nurses: are registered nurses who work in a community setting.
Nursing Associates: this is a new role for registered nurses who are working towards becoming Community Staff Nurses.
Health Care Assistants: non-registered practitioner who has undergone training to carry out delegated care tasks.
Team co-ordinator: non-clinical administrative dealing with referrals, orders and admin duties for the team
