Inpatient Unit
Our aim is to provide high quality specialist palliative care in a caring and supportive environment, enabling the patient to achieve the best quality of life possible. Care is tailored to meet the patient's needs and includes respite care, symptom control, emotional support or care at the end of life.
All our services are provided free of charge.
The team can care for up to 19 patients at a time. There are two four-bedded bays, one for men and one for women, a twin room and 9 single rooms mainly with en-suite facilities. The unit is staffed by a team of nursing, medical, allied health profefssionals and counselling staff who have specialist up to date knowledge in palliative care.
Our team includes Medical Consultants and other highly trained Doctors, RGNs and HCAs led by a Lead Nurse; counselling staff, occupational therapist, physiotherapist and complementary therapists. All staff work closely with other healthcare professionals, administrative staff and volunteers to maintain continuity of care.
Plans for all aspects of care are openly discussed with the patient. The Hospice can offer many of the procedures that a hospital can; however, we cannot offer the full range of treatments and in some instances it may be more appropriate to transfer the patient to hospital, but this would only be undertaken with patient agreement.
Examples of such situations could be a surgical operation, radiotherapy or advanced resuscitation.
Pain and Symptom Control
When people have advanced illness, they can experience a range of symptoms; these might include pain, loss of appetite, feeling or being sick, bowel and bladder disturbances, changes to breathing patterns, anxiety or low mood, difficulty sleeping, changes in sexual function, itching or sweating. Our staff are specially trained to assist with any problems and aim to improve how the patient is feeling.
Respite Care
The Hospice offers respite care in a variety of forms to meet the patient’s needs and aims to give carers a break. Respite care can often help to keep the patient at home by preventing a crisis. It is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members or friends, by giving breaks either planned or in response to changes in circumstance. Respite can also provide the opportunity to have the patient’s needs reviewed; to review medication or symptoms.
It is recognised that providing care to a loved one at home can have physical, emotional and financial consequences and the family care giver can be overwhelmed without some support.
Referrals can be made via any healthcare professional. Click here to download a referral form.