Adult community nursing and community therapy

Service description

Our integrated teams of community nurses and community therapists look after people who need clinical care in the community. We provide support for people until they are clinically well enough to be discharged based on a personalised assessment of their needs. We aim to help people to remain healthy and independent for as long as possible, or as quickly as possible.

The care and treatment we provide

The care and treatment we provide can be planned, and/or specialist and delivered in the most appropriate place, including:

• people’s own homes (for those who are housebound)
• a clinic setting
• a community hospital
• a GP surgery.

We will negotiate and agree a plan of care with you which may include teaching patients, carers and family members to become self-caring where appropriate. Treatment options and discharge planning will be discussed with you.

The people in the community nursing and therapy team

We have integrated teams of nurses and therapists providing core community nursing, Home First, and community therapy. You may be seen by more than one of these at the same time.

The teams consists of:

• registered nurses
• physiotherapists
• occupational therapists
• clinical apprentices
• healthcare assistants
• phlebotomists (people who take blood samples)
• assistant practitioners
  • technical instructors (who deliver both physiotherapy and occupational therapy)
• nursing associates and trainee nursing associates
• students.

We work closely with:

• GPs
• social care
• community hospitals
• acute hospitals
• specialist nurses
• palliative care nurses
• hospices.

Conditions

We care for people with the following conditions:

• Conditions relating to older age
• Arthritis
• Stroke
• Falls
• Palliative care
• Respiratory conditions
• Heart failure
• Fractures
• Wound management
• Leg ulcers
• Catheter care
• Bowel care
• Intravenous therapy and the care of lines such as Hickman lines
• Injections
• Insulin administration and diabetes monitoring for patients who are unable to do this themselves
• The provision of equipment
• Education – to help patients and carers to care for themselves
• Palliative and end-of-life care.

Specialist nursing services include:

• Heart failure specialist nurses
• Respiratory team
• Pulmonary rehabilitation teams
• Continence care
• Palliative and end-of-life care
• Tissue viability.

There are specialist community therapy services that work with patients who have a diagnosis of stroke or neurological condition and a specialist Falls Prevention Service .

Referral criteria

Adults who are registered with a GP in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland.