Located on Jevington 1, Brighton General Hospital.
There are currently 6 Community Matrons based in Brighton and Hove. The Community Matrons provide integrated, patient centred care for those individuals identified in Brighton and Hove as having complex needs, maintaining optimum levels of independence; enabling choice and control; and reducing risk and harm; through a proactive structured and managed approach to care, thereby preventing a 'crisis' or unplanned admission.
The Community Matron role was introduced in 2005 to support patients with long-term conditions. Seventeen and a half million people in the UK have a long-term health condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and arthritis. It is estimated that up to 5% of these individuals account for 42% of annual hospital bed use. A gap in healthcare services has been identified with these patients missing the opportunity to maintain or improve their health and avoid the need for frequent or lengthy hospital admission. The new advanced nursing role of the community matron offers nurses an opportunity to take the lead in reducing hospital admissions and improve the quality of life for these patients.
The role of the community matron is to:
- Act as case manager for a maximum of 50 patients with long term conditions
- Provide active care on a regular basis
- Prevent hospital admissions by co-ordinating intensive home support
Competencies community matron need to develop in managing long-term conditions include:
- Advanced clinical nursing practice
- Leading complex care co-ordination
- Proactively manage complex long-term conditions
- Managing cognitive impairment and mental wellbeing
- Supporting self-care, self management and enabling independence
- Professional practice and leadership
- Identifying high-risk patients, promoting health and preventing ill health
- Managing care at the end of life
- Interagency and partnership working
The Community Matrons:
- Focus on promoting maximal function, independence and quality of life.
- Provide teaching, support, and information to patients and their carers to make informed choices about their care.
- To co-ordinate care in chronic conditions and avoid crisis.
- Liaise between Primary and Secondary care.
The community matron team is based together at Hove Polyclinic. Each matron is linked to patients registered with GP surgeries covering a geographical area. Referrals to the team come for GP's hospital staff, community nurses or self-referral. The team is keen to participate with students training in clinical practice but at present as the role is fairly new the community matrons will need time to develop their advanced skills, build up caseloads and develop networks that will enable them to carry out their role to its full potential. Until this time they will be able to offer students an insight into their role and how it will develop further over time. |
| Shift patterns: Students will be on placement between the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 hours Monday to Friday. |
| Special requirements: Students are expected to wear uniform as per policy or dress appropriately for visiting hospital wards and patients own homes. |