District Nursing Service

The aim of the district nursing service is to provide an easily accessible responsive service, which meets the identified nursing needs of individuals and their carers within their own environment. 

Please note: the service is available to people living in Blackburn with Darwen and Central Lancashire.

We work closely with therapists, social services, GPs and hospital services.

The service includes:

• Assessment of patients with complex nursing needs
• Administration of treatment using specialised nursing equipment and medication
• Visits to patients who require the management of a clinical nursing procedure, e.g. wound care, tracheostomy management, tube feeding
• Wound assessments and formulating treatment plans, including specific vascular assessments
• Management and nursing treatment for patients with palliative care needs and those who are in the terminal phase of their illness
• Involvement in health promotion and public health issues, including the administration of flu vaccinations
• Supporting independence whenever possible for patients
• Supporting patients with newly diagnosed conditions

How to access the service 

The service is to help people who are over 18 years of age and who are housebound i.e. permanently or temporarily confined to their place of residence due to illness or disability, and are unable to use any form of transport as a means to access central clinics for treatment. Specific appointments for home visits cannot be given unless required for administration of medication purposes. However, every effort is made to be as flexible as possible with our visit times (this can be negotiated with your nurses).

Patients are usually referred to district nurses by GPs, community clinicians, and community discharge team (when patients are discharged from an acute environment).

The district nurse will carry out a full assessment of nursing needs; this will include asking a number of questions about your past and current health and any medications that you are taking. The nurse may undertake some clinical observations including your blood pressure or a urine test depending on your condition. The nurse will negotiate and agree a plan of treatment with you that will remain in your home for other members of the nursing team to follow. The plan will be revised as your conditions change. Contact telephone numbers will be left with you to allow you to contact the community nursing service at any time during the day or night should you require advice or assistance.