Overview
The Stoma Care Nursing Service at Darent Valley Hospital aim to meet the practical and psychological needs of all our stoma patients.
We aim to support in the following ways:
- Giving you information before your surgery and prompting a speedy recovery
- Teaching you the practical care of your stoma
- Provision of stoma care products and prescription arrangements
- Supporting you and your family in adjusting to life with a stoma
- Community support within the first 2 weeks of discharge
- Telephone hotline and clinics for ongoing support
Useful links & information
Following new stoma formation, we will arrange to see you in our stoma care clinic within the first 6 weeks after discharge. The purpose of this appointment is to support your recovery, address any queries or concerns, and check your stoma.
After your initial appointment, we will continue to review you at regular intervals: 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.
We offer an annual review for all patients with a new or established stoma. Additional clinic appointments can be arranged at any time if problems or needs arise.
We also offer telephone clinics for 6-month and 1-year reviews. These consist of a 30-minute phone consultation with a member of the Stoma Care Team.
You can telephone us directly for advice or if you are having any problems with your stoma or need help managing specific situations.
We are not always available to answer the telephone, but the voicemail is checked regularly between 08:00–16:00, Monday to Friday. Please leave a short message with your name and contact number, and we will return your call as soon as possible.
If you have an urgent stoma care problem outside of office hours, please contact your GP, NHS 111, Community Nursing Service, or the ward you were discharged from.
If the problem cannot be resolved over the telephone, we can arrange for you to be seen in one of our nurse-led clinics.
- Juniper Ward – Monday to Friday, 09:00–13:00 (30-minute appointments)
- Queen Mary’s Stoma Care Clinic – 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, 09:00–13:00