District nursing

District nursing

Every surgery in NHS Peterborough has an allocated team of district nurses, who together with the evening and night nursing teams, provide a 24 hour service to patients, 365 days a year.

The district nursing team is led by a qualified district nursing sister or charge nurse.

Other members of the district nursing team may include:

• Staff nurses/ District Enrolled nurses
• State Enrolled Nurses
• Health Care Assistants

Some of the services provided by the district nursing team:

• Care of post-operative wounds - dressings and removal of stitches/clips
• Care of leg ulcers or pressure sores
• Administration of medication by injection
• Blood tests, ECGs,
• Palliative care for people with terminal illnesses
• Hospital-at-Home Services
• Needs assessment and referral to appropriate agencies
• Assessment of incontinence problems and provision of appropriate aids

Patients discharged from hospital who need the attendance of a district nurse will usually have been identified by the Discharge Co-ordinator, who will contact the relevant nurse.

Other referrals may come from the GP, a social worker, relative, neighbour or the patient themselves.

Your district nurse can be contacted through your doctor’s surgery.