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Community matron

  • Hours

    37.5 per week

  • Starting salary

    £30,500 + per year



The work

As a community matron, you would work to improve the health and quality of life of people with very intensive needs or long-term health conditions. You would co-ordinate care provision ensuring the provision of nursing and clinical care in a variety of settings, including patients homes, residential and nursing homes and prisons.

The aim of your role would be to:

  • Manages and provides leadership for managers, specialist nurses/midwives and other staff in a primary care setting
  • Ensures patient/client/carer involvement in development of services and promotes better health,social care and medicines management
  • Provides specialist education and training to other staff
  • Maintains compliance with, and development of, policies, procedures and guidelines, including case management; co-ordinates care in a community setting
  • help those living in the community continue doing so
  • prevent crisis and unplanned hospital admissions
  • facilitate a timely discharge for patients from hospital
  • provide the highest standard of clinical care to those discharged from hospital.

You would manage a caseload of patients with a variety of complex health issues. Your work with patients would include:

  • monitoring the quality of care provision
  • co-ordinating the care and support patients receive from a variety of sources
  • identifying and promoting areas for service development
  • identifying those at risk of unnecessary admission to hospital
  • monitoring patients' conditions and providing advanced nursing assessment of their care needs
  • co-ordinating services to ensure that the focus of care is in the home and community for as long as it is possible
  • referring patients to other health professionals for treatment
  • teaching patients, their carers or relatives to spot changes that could lead to their condition getting worse
  • organising extra support, such as home care or respite care
  • giving health promotion information and advice to prevent illness
  • ensuring that accurate and up-to-date patient records are maintained
  • staying in touch with and developing community development initiatives.

You would develop and promote multi-disciplinary working by working closely with other health and social care professionals, voluntary services and carers to provide support to patients that takes into account their physical, mental, emotional and social needs.


Hours

Your work would involve travelling throughout the community, working in a variety of locations including visiting patients in their homes. You would also meet with other health and social care professionals to decide how best to care for patients.

You would typically work 37.5 hours a week, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, though this can vary depending on the nature of the job.

Caring for people suffering with long-term illness can be very demanding, both physically and emotionally.


Income

  • Community matrons can earn between £30,500 and £40,200 a year
  • With experience, this may rise to around £45,500

Figures are intended as a guideline only.


Entry requirements

To become a community matron, you will usually need:

  • to be a registered nurse (any branch)
  • between three and five years’ post-registration experience
  • specialist knowledge across a range of nursing procedures and practice
  • in-depth knowledge of long-term health conditions and treatment.

Some employers will also expect you to have:

  • a BSc or postgraduate diploma in such as community practice (specialising in, for example, district nursing, health visiting or practice nursing) with a willingness to work towards an appropriate masters qualification
  • to hold a relevant teaching qualification such as the ENB 998 or equivalent mentorship training
  • completed a nurse prescribing programme.

You are likely to need a driving licence and access to a car.


Training and development

Once you are working as a community matron, you will usually be encouraged by your employer to study advanced clinical nursing practice at Masters degree level.

You will be expected to continue training and developing your clinical skills throughout your career.


Skills and knowledge

  • excellent communication and listening skills
  • the ability to build and develop good working relationships with a wide range of health and social care professionals
  • an ability to collaborate across organisations
  • good 'people' skills
  • assertiveness
  • the ability to empathise
  • good problem solving and negotiating skills
  • an ability to analyse complex data
  • the ability to influence and challenge in a non-threatening way
  • the ability to motivate others
  • a flexible and innovative approach to work
  • good team working and leadership skills
  • an ability to work autonomously
  • an ability to provide clinical education and training to members of the nursing staff
  • the ability to manage stress in self and others
  • a good understanding of issues surrounding patient confidentiality
  • IT skills.

More information

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (Opens new window)
23 Portland Place
London
W1B 1PZ
Tel: 020 7333 9333
www.nmc-uk.org

Skills for Health (Opens new window)
Goldsmiths House
Broad Plain
Bristol
BS2 0JP
Tel: 0117 922 1155
www.skillsforhealth.org.uk

NHS Careers (Opens new window)
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (Opens new window)
33-37 Moreland Street
London
EC1V 8HA
Tel: 020 7505 3000
www.amicustheunion.org/cphva


Opportunities

Most jobs are within community settings of a primary care or foundation trust. You may also find vacancies advertised through the local and national press, NHS Jobs and Nursing Times.

As an experienced and qualified community matron, you may be able to progress to service management level and become head of community nursing.

You could also move into related careers such as health promotion work or teaching and training nurses and community practitioners.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (Opens in a new window) there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.


Related industry information

Industry summary

The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:

  • National Health Service (NHS)
  • Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
  • Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)

The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:

  • primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
  • secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)

NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).

The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.

Key facts:

  • The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
  • It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
    • over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
    • over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
    • almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
  • 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
  • The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.

There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.


National and regional data

High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:

  • London
  • South East
  • North West
East Midlands
  • The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
  • The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England
  • The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
  • The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London
  • The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
  • London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
  • Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East
  • The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
  • The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West
  • The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
  • The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East
  • The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
  • The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West
  • The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
  • The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands
  • The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
  • The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
  • Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber
  • The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
  • Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
  • The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
  • Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
  • Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland
  • The health sector employs 61,300 people.
  • Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
  • 81% of the workforce is female.
  • 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
  • 96% of the workforce is white.
  • 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
  • 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
  • 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland
  • The health sector employs 201,500 people.
  • Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
  • 78% of the workforce is female.
  • 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
  • 95% of the workforce is white.
  • 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
  • 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
  • 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales
  • The health sector employs 114,900 people.
  • Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
  • 74% of the workforce is female.
  • 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
  • 94% of the workforce is white.
  • 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
  • 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
  • 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.

[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]


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