Community Nursing

Barwon Health Community Nursing offers comprehensive and compassionate nursing care to help maximise your health and independence within your home.

Community Nursing consists of three integrated teams based at Newcomb, Belmont and North Geelong. We provide in-home nursing care in the Geelong and Surfcoast Regions. We work in close partnership with our hospitals, allied health professionals, general practitioners and community organisations to support you in your home environment.

Care is usually provided within your home, but may be provided at other appropriate locations, such as the Urgent Care Centre, Community Nursing offices, schools or workplace. To achieve the best outcome for individuals and families, Community Nurses work closely with general practitioners, community service providers and local government services.

Services Provided
Our focus is on helping maintain your independence, while delivering the best clinical care to suit your needs. We encourage all consumers to participate in decisions about their health. We are a nursing service that provides advice, education and support leading to self-management and independence.

An initial nursing assessment will be conducted to identify your needs and the ability of the Community Nursing service to meet those needs. A commitment to ongoing care from the Community Nursing service will depend on the outcome of the assessment. Consideration is given to your own ability to support your care needs. This includes education or with your consent referral to allied health and resources available to you in the community, including family/friends that are able to provide support, private services, aged care packages and local government agency support.

Clinical services include:

• Comprehensive assessment of your health needs
• Acute and chronic wound assessment and management
• Diabetes education and management
• Catheter management
• Hospital in the Home service
• Post-acute care
• Assessment, education and administration of medications
• Support and care of the terminally ill (in collaboration with Barwon Health Palliative Care Services)
• Referrals to other relevant services

Community nursing does not provide personal care (showers), medication monitoring, application of non-prescription creams or stocking application and removal.

Service Eligibility
Our service is available to any community member of any age who requires nursing assistance to manage their healthcare needs.

Aged Care Facilities
Residents of high-level residential aged care facilities are eligible for the Community Nursing service. A fee will be charged to the facility not the consumer.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) consumers can elect to nominate Barwon Health Community Nursing as their service provider, however fees will apply as consumers are unable to claim through DVA.

Accessing the Service
Anyone can refer to Community Nursing and self-referrals, including those from carers, are welcome. Alternatively your GP, medical practitioner, treating hospital or allied health professional can refer you to the Community Nursing service.

Once your referral is received, we will contact you to organise an appointment. When making an appointment, please let us know if you need assistance with communication (e.g. an interpreter). Interpreting services will be provided for you if required.

Consumers aged over 65 years can access the Community Nursing service via My Aged Care. My Aged Care is the entry point to access aged care services. My Aged Care will arrange for an in-home assessment and refer you to Community Nursing if required.

My Aged Care

Phone: 1800 200 422

Nursing team
Community Nursing Service staff are required to wear their identification badges at all times and will identify themselves to you. All our Community Nursing staff are required to have valid Police checks, Working with Children Checks and NDIS Worker checks.

Our teams consist of experienced and professional nursing staff. We aim to provide consistency with nursing staff, however you should expect to see a number of Community Nurses during your time with Community Nursing. We are closely aligned with allied health services within Barwon Health and can assist you with referrals to other services.