Community nurses, also known as district nurses play a crucial role in the primary health care team working alongside GPs and other health care professionals.  They visit housebound people in their own homes or in residential care homes, assessing the health care needs of patients, providing high quality holistic nursing care to patients who have a nursing need.

Community nurses have an important role in keeping hospital admissions and readmissions to a minimum and ensuring that patients can return to their own homes as soon as possible.

As well as providing direct patient care, community nurses also have a teaching role, working with patients, their families and carers to promote self management and independence.

Community response team

We provide a community-based rehabilitation service that will respond to unplanned and urgent care needs; to help support and manage care of patients enabling them to remain safely in their own home whilst preventing unnecessary  admission to hospital and facilitating early discharge from inpatient units.

Our team consists of community nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and generic support workers.

There are currently two teams operating, one in Selby and District and another in the City of York - which also provides some services in Easingwold.  The service operates seven days a week, 8am until 10pm.  Referrals can be made to the service via hospital staff, GPs, community nurses and ambulance services.

Tissue viability specialist nursing

The Tissue Viability Service covers all aspects of wound care and pressure ulcer prevention and management.  The service is provided by specialist nurses who have extensive knowledge and expertise in this area. The service also provides leadership and education regarding clinically and cost effective tissue viability care to other health care professionals whilst developing, securing and ensuring the highest standard of patient care.

Access to the service is by referral.

Specialist cardiac rehabilitation nursing

We provide specialist advice, support and cardiac rehabilitation to patients who have suffered a heart attack and/or following heart surgery, with the aim of supporting patients to return to a full and 'normal' life.

Referrals can be made to the service via hospital staff, GPs, community nurses and patients and their families/carers.

Specialist respiratory practitioners

Our specialist respiratory nurses give specialist advice and treatment options to improve the quality of life for patients and their families/cares living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions to promote self management and assist in preventing unnecessary admissions to hospital. They also offer advice, education and support to other health care professionals.

They are registered general nurses who have gained additional skill and expertise in respiratory conditions. Access to the service is by referral.

Heart failure specialists nurses

They provide specialist advice and practical support to individuals with heart failure, their families and carers, GPs and other health care professionals.  Patients can access the service via referral from their GP or hospital consultant.  For more information about the heart failure specialist nurses service click here.

Specialist continence advisory service

The Specialist Continence Service comprises of a team of nurses and physiotherapists who are specialists in the treatment and management of bladder and bowel conditions including urinary incontinence and bowel incontinence.

We provide services for adults and older people across North Yorkshire running accessible clinics in local areas and providing home visits when required. Our aim is to treat and cure bladder and bowel dysfunction where possible. When all possible improvement has been achieved we aim to manage any residual problems as best as possible to maintain each individual's comfort and dignity.

We provide training for community based health and social care staff to broaden and maintain knowledge of continence care; for people in their own homes and in residential care. We also act as a resource for queries and specialist information regarding continence for all health and social care staff within North Yorkshire and York and the East Coast. 

Referral is open in most localities, although a letter if preferred from a GP outlining the person's symptoms and previous medical history. Patients may be referred to us from their GP or other health professional.