Karen Reilly, probably the world's only rapping community matron, has laid down a hip-hop track about illnesses.

The mum-of-two, based at Bramley Clinic, jotted down rhymes on the way to doing a presentation at Leeds University and now has recorded the song on to a CD.

She said: "I've been pleased by the reaction to the rap so far - if it helps to spread the message and also put a little fun back into the workplace and into the lives of our patients, then I think it is all worthwhile."

On the track she explains how community matrons support people with long-term conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic cbstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

"I was stuck in traffic and wondered if anyone had put a presentation to rhyme, so when the traffic stopped I grabbed a bit of paper and wrote the first part down," the 41-year-old said.

"It put a bit of fun back into the class. It was amazing how the group remembered the short rhyme that I had done."
Later she jokingly mentioned it to colleagues, who suggested she write a full song.

Colleagues have been thrilled with the results, though Karen admits she's more likely to listen to jazz than hip-hop.



THE MATRON RAP by Karen Reilly

Let's set the scene, you know what I mean
Long term conditions are priority
Heart disease and di-a-be-tes
Arthritis and COPD

Many conditions, complex they are
If we don't help to manage it'll go too far
Deal with it better, help people cope instead
Prevent hospital admissions and emergency beds

We must benefit the patient, integrated support
Increasing quality of life, yes this could be taught
Disease management in primary care
A team focus has got to be there

Working together must be the key
Giving patients choice and some clarity
Helping, teaching, pointing the way
To give them some hope as they start their day

Here in the Leeds west wedge it is our goal
Holistically to care for body, mind and soul
Our aim to ensure we give a good lead
To bring skill and quality to the patient in need

The Community Matron is a specialist nurse
Who will "seek out the patients", yes it sounds absurd
To work pro-active and not just react
To assess, coordinate and manage… It's a fact

Ongoing assessment, medicine management too
Using advanced skills are the things that we do
Leading, liaising, referring on
It is crucial that we all sing the same song

I'll give you an example of a patient we see
Along with others within the PCT
When we all pull together effectively
We should see the results nationally

He's an 80-year-old man with ischaemic heart disease
He has angina and COPD
Osteoarthritis, lower back pain
If we manage him well, at home he may remain

We hope you see the benefits of the matron role
To bring excellent quality has to be our main goal
Improving lives of the patients we treat
To help some of them get back on their feet

Managing your illness better than before
Is the aim we have when we knock on their door
This will not happen overnight
But with some determination we'll try to get it right!