District nurses hailed for bringing expert healthcare to your home
The South Eastern Trust’s District Nursing Service makes a significant difference to the lives of patients and families across the Trust area, delivering safe, high-quality nursing care where it matters most, in patients’ own homes.
Over the past four years, Tommy Greer has really benefitted from the District Nursing Service in the Trust.
Tommy explained: “The District Nursing Team has been amazing.
"They have been coming to me for the last four years and I could not do without them.
"They have really made a difference to my health, both mentally and physically. I need to have both my legs dressed and I do not have to go to hospital every time.
"The District Nurses come out to my house. I would not be able to walk into the hospital or my GP surgery, so their support means everything to me. They are a fantastic Team, I would be lost without them.”
District Nursing is unique in that it supports not only patients, but also their families and carers. Teams build strong therapeutic relationships, often supporting people from the early stages of their illness.
Lisburn Senior Community Staff Nurse, Claire Sewell, who has worked in the community for almost five years and is currently undertaking her specialist practice in District Nursing, said the role goes far beyond clinical care.
Claire said: “We are highly skilled practitioners providing a wide range of treatments to help patients maintain their independence at home.
“The role is about getting to know patients as people, not just their condition.
"District Nursing is as much about understanding who someone is and what matters to them as it is about clinical skills.”
South Eastern Trust, Quality Improvement and Governance Lead in Primary Care Nursing, Jayne Carson, said the service plays a crucial role in delivering safe, effective care across the community.
“The District Nursing Service is central to our vision of providing high-quality, person-centred care closer to home,” she added.
“Through strong governance, continuous quality improvement and a true ‘one-team approach’, our District Nurses deliver safe, compassionate and effective care to some of our most vulnerable patients.
"The work they do every day has a real and lasting impact on patients, families and communities and their role in supporting independence and improving quality of life is vital.”