About the community stoma care service
What is the community stoma care service?
The community stoma care service is a service aimed to provide specialist clinical nursing care and advice to patients living at home with a stoma in Leeds.
What is the role of the nurse specialist?
The nurse specialist will:
- provide practical, psychological, emotional and social support for patients with a stoma
- act as an information source for patients, relatives and carers
- offer a telephone advice service for patients, carers and health care professionals
- provide integrated community care links with district nurses, GPs and other community health care professionals
- maintain links with stoma support groups
- offer regular evidence-based education, teachings and study days
- provide satellite clinics across Leeds
- make joint district nurse home visits where appropriate
- ensure the appropriate use of stoma care products
- work to improve the service in response to patient and carer needs
- work to improve the service in response to health care professional comments
- work to improve the service in response to research
Meet the team

Patient information
Who can I contact for more information?
Who can I contact for more information?
Stoma care pathway
Stoma care pathway
- All pre-operative information and siting provided by the stoma nurses in the acute trust Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT)
- Patient to have surgery in the acute trust
- Post-operative stoma care and teaching provided by ward nurses or stoma nurses in the acute trust whilst patient is an inpatient (approximately 5 to 7 days)
- All new stoma patients (cancer and non-cancer) referred from the acute trust to Community Stoma team via continence, urology and colorectal service (CUCS) using electronic referral system
- First visit at home within 3 to 5 days of discharge (approximately 2 weeks post-op). Assessment at initial visit to determine timing of next visit. Contact details provided.
- Routine review 2 to 4 weeks following 1st appointment (approximately 4 to 6 weeks post-op) at home or clinic
- Routine review 2 to 4 weeks later (approximately 6 to 8 weeks post-op) at home or clinic
- Routine review 4 weeks later (approximately 10 to 12 weeks post-op) at home or clinic. Pre-cut bags organised via delivery company
- Patient initiated follow up, can contact our service anytime for a review/advice.
- Routine face to face review 12 months post-operatively at local clinic or home.
- Never discharged from our service, remain on patient initiated follow up
This is a standard Stoma care pathway unless patients are struggling and require more regular appointments.
If any problems arise, we have the contact details of the colorectal consultants and their secretaries if further support is required, for example, a clinic appointment brought forward or an admission to hospital.
For skin problems, we would provide initial treatment and, if required, refer to Leeds Dermatology Services or to Calum Lyon (Consultant Dermatologist, York).
Useful links
Useful links
- Fittleworth : What is a stoma (Living with a stoma and stoma) advice
- Fittleworth: Different types of stoma (Colostomy vs Ileostomy vs Urostomy)
- Fittleworth: Stoma, colostomy and ileostomy diet advice (Low-residue and fibre)
- Hollister UK: Hernia prevention tips from an athlete living with a stoma
- Hollister UK: Travel with an ostomy (Diet and fitness)
- Managing ostomy leaks with LeeAnne Hayden: Avoiding ostomy bag leaking
- Dansac UK: Changing your stoma appliance
- Dansac UK: Facts about your stoma
- Hollister UK: How to measure your stoma