Stoma Care
at Home

Yes. A referral letter from your GP, surgeon or the hospital stoma team is needed, confirming your stoma and the care you need. Ask them for it before you book, then add it to your booking so the nurse has read it before the first visit.

No. The hospital gives you a first supply when you are discharged, and after that bags and accessories come on prescription from a pharmacy or a home delivery service. Keep them at home for when the nurse comes, with the box or product name so the nurse can check the size and type.

No. A stoma has no nerve endings, so the stoma itself should not hurt. The skin around it can become sore if it is not cared for properly, and your nurse will show you how to prevent that. Tell your GP or stoma team if pain is sharp or does not settle.

It differs from person to person, and needing weeks rather than days is normal. Day to day it means emptying the pouch when needed, changing it regularly and caring for the skin; the nurse lets you practise each step until you feel sure of it.

A stoma nurse checks the stoma and the skin around it, changes and fits the pouch, advises on diet and supplies, and teaches you and your family to manage it yourselves, so the time between visits feels much less daunting.

Yes. Many people book a stoma nurse in the first weeks after discharge, when changing the bag and caring for the skin are still new. A referral letter from your doctor or hospital team is needed, so the nurse knows about your operation.

Yes. You can book a private stoma nurse to visit you at home without joining any scheme: enter your postcode, compare the nurses who visit your area and their fees, send the time that suits you and accept the proposal. A referral letter from your doctor is needed.

The nurse looks at the stoma and the skin around it, changes the pouch with you, checks the fit and talks through anything worrying you, such as leaks or sore skin. You then practise each step at your own pace, with family beside you if you wish.

Some signs need urgent medical help, not a planned home visit: a stoma that turns dark red, purple or black, no output for several hours with swelling, pain or vomiting, heavy bleeding, or a high temperature with severe tummy pain. In those cases contact NHS 111 or go straight to A&E.

Yes. After surgery the hospital stoma team usually follows you up, and later a community stoma or continence service can help through your GP; waits and how often they visit vary by area. Medelit is a private service: you book a home visit directly and pay online once you accept the time offered.

If your policy includes private nursing at home, you pay for the visit and then send our invoice to your insurer to claim the fee back. Cover differs between insurers and policies, so check yours before you book and keep the invoice for your claim.

Stoma care at home starts from £84 a visit. Every nurse sets a personal fee, shown for your address before you decide, and you pay online after you agree to the time the nurse offers. You do not need to join or subscribe to anything.

Visits are arranged promptly, depending on which nurses cover your address, and stoma visits generally take place within two to three days of asking, so it helps to book as soon as you know you would like support after discharge or your referral letter is ready.

Our nurses visit addresses in boroughs including Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster. The list is a guide rather than a promise: enter your postcode to see which nurses can come to you.