Community matrons
* Community matrons are highly experienced, senior nurses
* Community matrons accept referrals from carers and patients as well as from social services, government agencies and health professionals
About the service
Community matrons are highly experienced, senior nurses who work with patients who have one or more long term conditions. Examples of long term conditions include diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parksinson's disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Community matrons work with patients and their doctors to plan and organise an effective programme of care.
As well as providing nursing care, community matrons also act as the patients ‘case manager’ – this means they are the patients single point of contact for care, support and advice. Community matrons make sure that as a patient your views are heard and that your care is designed around your needs. Community matrons work hard to make you feel in control of your heath and care.
By providing specialised nursing care and co-ordinating health and care needs for people who have complex long term conditions, community matrons help to prevent unnecessary trips to hospital.
The community matrons who are based in North Tyneside cover a variety of different specialities including:
- Community based care
- Nursing homes
- Learning disability
- Heart failure
- Health visitors - the health visitor’s role covers asylum seekers and refugees and children with additional needs.
How can I access the service?
Patients are referred to a community matron in a number of ways. Carers are encouraged to refer patients as are patients themselves. If you would like to refer please contact the relevant team (using the details below) to find out more information. We encourage self referral and referrals from carers.
We also accept referrals from social services staff, government agencies and health professionals. The care home sector can also directly refer clients to the care home community matrons.
Contact details
Community matrons can be contacted via your GP practice or local health centre.
Health centre contact points for North Tyneside are as follows:
Wallsend:
Wallsend Health Centre: 0191 220 5910
Whitley Bay:
Monkseaton Clinic: 0191 252 4264
Shiremoor Resource Centre: 0191 2979015
North Shields:
Nelson Health Centre: 0191 219 6635
North West:
Oxford Centre: 0191 218 0080
Killingworth Health Centre: 0191 268 3511
Care home community matrons
Tel: 0191 2979038
Learning disabilities
Tel: 0191 2006500
Health visitors
Tel: 0191 2205915
Heart failure community matron
Tel: 0191 2202215
