Adjusting to life with a stoma takes time, clinical expertise, and practical support. Wattletree Health Group provides professional stoma care services delivered by experienced AHPRA-registered Division 1 nurses in the comfort of your home across Melbourne — with no waitlists.
Whether you are newly post-operative or managing a long-established stoma, our nurses provide the clinical oversight and education to keep your stoma healthy, your skin intact, and your confidence high.
Types of Stoma We Manage
Our experienced registered nurses provide care for all types of stomas, including:
- Colostomy — including sigmoid, descending, transverse, and loop colostomies
- Ileostomy — including end and loop ileostomies
- Urostomy (ileal conduit) — urinary diversion following bladder surgery
- Mucous fistula — management of the distal bowel segment following Hartmann’s procedure
Stoma Care Services
- Pouching system management — selection, fitting, and changing of one-piece and two-piece appliances, ensuring correct flange sizing and seal
- Stoma assessment — monitoring stoma colour, height, retraction, prolapse, and output for complications requiring clinical review
- Peristomal skin management — treatment and prevention of moisture-associated skin damage, contact dermatitis, folliculitis, and candidiasis around the stoma
- Irrigation for colostomy clients — where clinically appropriate and preferred by the client
- Post-surgical stoma care — supporting early discharge and transition from hospital to home, including mucocutaneous junction assessment and barrier ring application
- Complication management — clinical assessment and management of prolapse, parastomal hernia, stenosis, retraction, and skin breakdown, in liaison with your surgeon or stomal therapy nurse
- Client and carer education — building confidence and independence in self-management, dietary guidance, and troubleshooting
Funding for Stoma Care at Home
Stoma nursing services may be funded through a range of programs:
Private (self-funded)
Care can start immediately — often within 24–48 hours of discharge or initial contact. No referral required.
NDIS
Stoma care by a registered nurse is fundable under NDIS as a health-related support. Wattletree Health Group is a registered NDIS provider. Note that stoma appliances and consumables are separately funded through the Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS), administered by the Department of Health.
My Aged Care — Home Care Package (HCP) and Support at Home (SAH)
Nursing visits for stoma care and assessment are fundable under HCP and SAH packages. We work with your package provider to schedule visits as part of your care plan.
TAC and WorkSafe
Where stoma care relates to a workplace or transport accident, services may be claimable through TAC or WorkSafe. Wattletree Health Group is an approved provider for both schemes.
Private health insurance
Some extras policies include a nursing benefit. We recommend checking with your insurer prior to commencing care.
Why Choose Wattletree Health Group for Stoma Care?
- AHPRA-registered Division 1 nurses — experienced registered nurses, not support workers
- No waitlists — visits can typically be arranged within 24–48 hours, including post-hospital discharge
- Discreet and respectful care — we understand the sensitive nature of stoma care and provide compassionate, professional support
- All funding streams accepted — private, NDIS, HCP/SAH, TAC, WorkSafe
- Surgeon and stomal therapy nurse liaison — we communicate clinical concerns directly with your treating team
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after surgery can a nurse visit me at home for stoma care?
We can arrange a nursing visit within 24–48 hours of hospital discharge for private clients. If you are being discharged with a new stoma and need home support organised quickly, your hospital ward or stomal therapy nurse can contact us directly, or you can call us on 03 9140 0944. We work to your discharge date, not a waitlist.
Can a nurse help if my stoma skin is breaking down?
Yes. Peristomal skin breakdown is one of the most common complications our nurses manage. We assess the type of damage (moisture damage, contact dermatitis, fungal infection, or folliculitis), apply appropriate barrier products and dressings, review your pouching system fit, and liaise with your surgeon or stomal therapy nurse if further intervention is required.
Can stoma care be funded through NDIS?
Yes. Registered nurse stoma care visits can be funded under NDIS as a health-related support. Note that stoma appliances and consumables (bags, barriers, accessories) are separately funded through the Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS) — this is a federal government scheme, not NDIS. Wattletree Health Group is a registered NDIS provider and can work with your Support Coordinator to establish nursing supports in your plan.
Do I need a referral for stoma nursing care?
No referral is required to become a Wattletree Health Group client. We accept self-referrals, and also referrals from family and friends, GPs, hospitals, My Aged Care Home Care Package (HCP) and Support At Home (SAH) providers, NDIS Support co-ordinators, allied health, and all other healthcare organisations. We are registered NDIS providers, and also approved providers for TAC and WorkSafe.
What is the difference between a registered nurse and a stomal therapy nurse for stoma care at home?
A stomal therapy nurse (STN) is an endorsed enrolled or registered nurse with specialist post-graduate training in stoma care, wound management, and continence. STNs typically see clients at hospital clinics or on a consultative basis. Our experienced registered nurses are trained in stoma care and provide ongoing home-based management — including pouching changes, skin care, and complication monitoring. Where a specialist STN review is clinically indicated, we facilitate the referral. Many clients benefit from both.
Expert Stoma Care in Your Home
Wattletree Health Group provides experienced registered nurse stoma care across Melbourne — no waitlists, no referral required. Call us on 03 9140 0944 or contact us online to arrange your first visit.
Service Areas
Wattletree Health Group provides this service across Greater Melbourne. Click your council area to learn more:
- Banyule
- Bayside
- Boroondara
- Brimbank
- Cardinia
- Casey
- Darebin
- Frankston
- Glen Eira
- Greater Dandenong
- Hobsons Bay
- Hume
- Kingston
- Knox
- Manningham
- Maroondah
- Maribyrnong
- Melbourne
- Melton
- Merri-Bek
- Monash
- Moonee Valley
- Mornington Peninsula
- Nillumbik
- Port Phillip
- Stonnington
- Whitehorse
- Whittlesea
- Wyndham
- Yarra
- Yarra Ranges
Your area not listed? Contact us — we cover all of Greater Melbourne and surrounds.
