Somerset District Nursing Service provides nursing care to people who are housebound living in their own homes and in residential homes. They are working with Healthwatch Somerset to gather feedback from local people who have used the District Nursing Service in the past sixth months, including patients, family members and carers.

Healthwatch Somerset Manager Hannah Gray said: "District Nursing is a long established and vital way to care for people in their homes and in the community, and developing community services is an important part of Somerset's future plans for transforming the NHS.

"As with any service, it is important to listen to those who are being cared for, to understand how best to meet their needs and expectations. We will use patient feedback to highlight what is working well with the District Nursing Service and where improvements or new ideas could be considered. For example, we will be asking how easy it is to access the District Nursing Service out-of-hours and whether a weekend and evening service is needed, and we want to know how patients feel about the use of digital technology in their care, such as video consultations. Please do get involved because your views will make a real difference to how the service is delivered in the future."

It's easy to share your views and experiences with Healthwatch Somerset and your feedback can remain anonymous.

: You can complete a short online survey before the closing date of 28 March 2021: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HWSDistrictNursing/

:You can contact Healthwatch Somerset and arrange a convenient time to feedback over the phone, call Freephone 0800 999 1286 or email: [email protected]

:If you are currently receiving care from the District Nursing team, you can ask your nurse for a copy of the Healthwatch Somerset leaflet for more information about how to get involved.

Healthwatch Somerset will share its findings with the District Nursing Service and partner organisations such as local GPs, patient groups, and Somerset NHS commissioners and service providers. They will publish a report including recommendations for change and improvement.