modern matrons with no starch

But the outdated image of the strict head nurse bears little resemblance to the four community modern matrons appointed by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT).

The traditional principle of high standards of care will remain, but rather than working on hospital wards, the matrons will work in the community.

Matrons Angela Davidson, Gill Reeves, Jane Haywood and Susan Shine will head the four disciplines of health visiting, school nursing, district nursing and practice nursing.

They will be based at Sedgefield Community Hospital, working with the nursing teams to ensure the highest standards of care for patients.

The appointments are part of the trust's drive to strengthening the role of nursing.

Kath Vasey, the trust's head of nursing and community services, said: "Community health services in the Sedgefield area are a valuable resource, providing high-quality, locally accessible health care.

"The new community modern matrons have an important role to play in modernising and improving those services."

Mrs Davidson, one of the matrons, said: "It's quite a new concept to have a modern matron in the community, leading the nursing disciplines.

"Many people still have the image of the strict matron in starched apron, but those times are long gone and we've moved on considerably.

"The principles of leadership and standards of care and the best possible services are the same, but transferred into the community.

"Sedgefield PCT has been innovative in its approach to creating these posts to work in the community."

Mrs Reeves, another of the matrons, said: "The key responsibility will be to ensure the highest standards of care for patients in the community and the best possible experience for users of health services.

"All of the matrons have a responsibility to develop our own services, ensuring that the communities have more control and greater choice.

"Sedgefield PCT has a nursing strategy into which all of these discipline fit, and so we will be implementing that."