About Community Services
A comprehensive range of community services is provided locally for the whole population of Beaminster patients. These complement the existing practice-based services and aim to deliver care as close to home as possible. These services are provided by Dorset Health Care.
Community Midwives
A small team of midwives is attached to each surgery. The midwives offer antenatal, labour and postnatal care whether you choose to have a hospital or home birth.
The majority of deliveries take place at Dorset County Hospital but arrangements can be made for delivery at Yeovil Hospital or Wonford Hospital in Exeter or, if appropriate, at home.
More information is available on the following link Maternity Care on our website
Community Nurses
The Community Nurses provide all aspects of nursing care to the housebound. In our area we are very fortunate to be able to manage some illnesses that would normally require a hospital Admission in the patient’s home. They liaise and work closely with the GP, other professionals and patient carers to ensure that you and your family receive the help and support needed when being nursed in the community.
As well as general nursing care the team also provide the following services:
- Wound care
- Palliative care
Patients eligible to use the nursing service in their own homes are those who:
- are unable to travel to surgery/hospital due to serious illness or disability
- are recovering from surgical intervention and are unable to travel
- need palliative nursing care
- have undergone chemotherapy/radiotherapy and travel would be detrimental to recovery
- need treatment which cannot be appropriately carried out in the surgery setting
The Community Nursing service operates an open referral system and can be contacted on 01308861938
Health Visitors
Health Visitors are qualified nurses who have done further training specialising in the health and development of young children and in the support of their families. The Health Visiting team offer support to families with children up to the age of 5years.
More information on Health Visiting services can be found on the NHS Dorset HealthCare University Trust website at: Dorset Health Visitors
The Health Visiting team for Barton House is based at Bridport medical centre and consists of Health Visitors, Public Health Staff Nurses and Community Nursery Nurses. There is also a Duty health visitor available between 9am and 4.45pm who can give telephone advice. To contact them please call the hub number below and you will be redirected through to the Duty Health visitor.
To contact the Health Visiting team, please call the Health Visiting West administration hub on 01305 361071 or a separate telephone line – Beaminster (01308) 862267.
Public Health (School) Nursing team
This team consists of one Public Health Staff Nurse and Public Health Nursery Nurse
The aims of the Public Health Nursing team are:
- To promote health within all families.
- To provide support, advice and guidance in all aspects of emotional, mental and physical health
- To recognise and identify areas of need within the community
- To provide support to families during periods of stress and ill health
- To work alongside other professionals and agencies in a variety of different settings.
The Public Health Nursing Team ( School Nursing) offer this support through the Universal Healthy Child programme which includes:
- Reception Class health review, Audiology screen and Height and Weight measurements under the National Child Measurement Programme
- Year 6 height and weight measurements under the National Child Measurement Programme
The school nursing service covers schools in Beaminster and surrounding areas Bridport, where advice, support, referrals and signposting, to other appropriate services, is offered to school age children and their parents/carers as well as drop-in clinics at the primary schools for parents, carers and school staff.
Request for Support forms can be sent to the School Nursing service by any schools, and other services/agencies if support, advice or appointments are required with a School Nurse for a young person from year 7 and up or contact is needed with a parent/carer.
The School Nursing service also delivers-
- a ChatHealth anonymous texting service for young people from ages 11 – 19
- School staff training for delivering emergency medication to children diagnosed with epilepsy or anaphylaxis
- Enuresis clinics (night time wetting) for children of 7yrs and older, with provision of an enuresis alarm and ongoing support for the child/young person and their parents/carers
- Specific support to individual schools if a need is identified through information gathered on School Health Profiles.
School Nurse telephone number – 01305 361094 (Option 2)