title: Evaluation of community matron services in a large metropolitan city in England.
abstract: Investment in community matron service development is an important feature of health policy in the UK, and underpins a national strategy to improve care for people with long-term conditions. These new services are under pressure to demonstrate added value in terms of patient experience and a reduction in unplanned hospital bed usage. The focus of this article is an evaluation of community matron services in a large primary care trust. The results of this city-wide service evaluation demonstrated high levels of patient and general practitioner (GP) satisfaction with community matron services. The themes identified by patients and GPs included improved communications and co-ordination of services. In addition to this, patients and carers commented on increased levels of confidence as a result of responsive and accessible services, as well as a perception that there was a reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions.
authors.affiliation: Leeds Primary Care Trust, UK. yvonne.leighton@nhs.net
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leighton
authors.forename: Angie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bee
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*