Community Services
We provide care for children and adults closer to home.
Our services are provided by nurses, doctors, healthcare assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, specialist clinicians and technicians.
We may treat you in clinics held at GP surgeries, in your home, or in the ESNEFT community hospitals in Aldeburgh and Felixstowe and Bluebird Lodge in Ipswich.
How to get to Aldeburgh Hospital
How to get to Felixstowe Hospital
Care in your home
The Community Healthcare Team (Integrated Neighbourhood Team) provide care in your home. We work 7 days per week from 8am to 6pm supporting adults who are registered with a Suffolk GP.
We support patients who are are:
- housebound
- have a long term condition
- need palliative care
- need end of life care
Our community therapists assess mobility, transfers and your ability to perform the activities of daily living.
Our community nursing team treat housebound patients. We provide many services including:
- catheter care
- wound care
- end of life care
- diabetes care
- taking blood samples for tests (phlebotomy)
Our community matrons may be involved in your care if you have one or more long term conditions and you are at risk of deteriorating and needing to be admitted to hospital.
You, a family member or your carer can refer you to our service by telephoning the Care Coordination Centre (CCC) on 0300 123 24 25. The CCC takes calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Chest and lungs
We have two team who may be involved in your care if you have a condition that affects your chest and lungs.
Pulmonary rehabilitation team
We run a six-week course for people with chronic respiratory conditions who are limited by breathlessness. Sessions take place twice a week at venues throughout East Suffolk. Each session is made up of physical exercise and education. Our aim is to improve your ability to self-manage your condition.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) team
This team offers three services for patients with COPD:
- COPD Assisted Discharge we work with the respiratory specialists in Ipswich Hospital to provide early supported discharge – this means that you may be able to return to your own home quicker. Our team provide support via home visits or telephone contact until you are medically stable.
- COPD Admission Avoidance your GP may refer you to us if they assess that you are experiencing an exacerbation of COPD. Our team can start you on oral antibiotics, steroids and nebulised therapy. We support you to remain at home until you have improved.
- Home Oxygen Service your GP may refer you to us if you require home oxygen therapy. We ensure that oxygen is prescribed and delivered at the best flow rate for you.
Children’ health services
Children’s health services in the community
Fractures and bone health
Osteoporosis and fractures team
We run clinics in east Suffolk and also carry out home visits. We also see inpatients at the ESNEFT community hospitals.
We support patients who have fractured and who have osteoporosis. We also provide support to care homes and can offer training to staff.
Your GP will refer you to us.
Heart conditions
We have two teams who may be involved in your care if you have a heart condition.
Cardiac rehabilitation team
We will support you after you have had heart surgery.
The aim of cardiac rehabilitation is to support you through your recovery process, to educate you and work with you to achieve a healthy lifestyle, and to provide psychological advice and advice on returning to work.
Heart failure team
We run clinics in east Suffolk and also carry out home visits to those who are housebound or need palliative care for end stage heart failure.
The aim is to support you through your diagnosis, to provide appropriate lifestyle advice and education to aid you towards self-management.
Your GP will refer you to us.
Physiotherapy (MSK) and hand therapy outreach clinics
Physiotherapy and hand therapy team
We run outreach physiotherapy and hand therapy clinics across east Suffolk, so that we can treat you closer to your home. Your GP will refer you to us.
There is a limited number of spaces in our outreach clinics, so we may ask to see you earlier, at Ipswich Hospital. This will depend on how urgent your follow-up is.
If you have any questions, please call our reception staff on 01473 703 312.
We will ask you to check your temperature on the day of your appointment. We will also ask you a few questions about your recent health.
We hold clinics at:
- Aldeburgh Hospital
- Felixstowe Hospital
- Hadleigh Health Centre
- Stow Health, Stowmarket
- Wickham Market GP surgery
Please read the check-in instructions for each location which are in place due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection control.
- Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment and report to reception
- The reception staff will direct you a physiotherapy waiting area
Felixstowe Hospital
- Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment
- We will ask you to stay in your vehicle until we call you, via your mobile, into your appointment
- Only one visitor can go with you to an appointment
- If you need extra support, please let your therapist know, before your appointment
- If your carer needs extra support, they should tell your therapist before your appointment
Hadleigh Health Centre
- Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment
- Enter the building and turn left at the stairs – this will lead you to our reception area
- Please let our receptionist know that you have arrived
Stow Health, Stowmarket
- Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment
- Press the intercom button and our staff will direct you to the third floor physiotherapy reception area
- Please inform the reception staff of your appointment
Wickham Market GP Surgery
- Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment
- We will ask you to stay in your vehicle until we call you, via your mobile, into your appointment
- Only one visitor can come with you to an appointment
- If you need extra support, please let your therapist know, before your appointment
- If you have a carer and they need extra support, they should tell your therapist, before your appointment
Speech and language therapy
We can see you at our community clinics, ESNEFT community hospitals, or at your home or the care home where you live. Your GP will refer you to us
The clients we support include people with:
- progressive neurological disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Stroke, or other brain injury
- Dementia
- COPD or other respiratory conditions
- Voice disorders
- Head & Neck cancers
- Adults who stammer (dysfluency).
We also assess people with a learning disability when there are concerns about swallowing, and provide a communication service for this population (age 18-25)
Stroke
Stroke – early supported discharge service
Our team provides up to six weeks of intensive stroke rehabilitation in your own home after you have been discharged from Colchester or Ipswich hospital. Our aim is to help you to regain mobility and independence.
Our team is made up of experienced therapists and rehabilitation assistants who work together with you and your family or carers to deliver a rehabilitation programme designed to meet your individual needs.
Stroke education and training for you is an essential part of this service.
We monitor your progress is monitored throughout the programme, and adjust the activities and support fit your changing needs.
You may be discharged before six weeks, or you may need further less-intensive help and support in which case we will refer you on to on to other local services.
Our team consists of:
- physiotherapists
- occupational therapists
- speech and language therapists
- clinical psychologists
- rehabilitation assistants
- service managers
- administrators and team coordinators.
Who is the service designed for
Our team works closely with hospital stroke services to identify the patients who would benefit most from supported early discharge. To be eligible for this service, it is essential that you are safe within their home, with or without a carer present, and that you are able to tolerate an intense programme of rehabilitation for up to six weeks.
Referrals
Patients are referred to our service by the stroke team at the hospital.
This service is provided by the Suffolk Alliance, a partnership of ESNEFT, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and Suffolk County Council, with support from a variety of third sector partners.