At Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, the wellbeing of our patients, their family and friends, staff and volunteers is our first priority and so we are following National advice and guidance about Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are taking all necessary precautions to keep our services open for the people who need us most.
You can find the latest information about the Coronavirus on the Government website here and the following information should give you everything you need to know about current Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice procedures.
If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact
Kate Heaps, Chief Executive kateheaps@gbch.org.uk or
Ellen Tumelty, Matron ellentumelty@gbch.org.uk
For patients and their families
You can download our visitor information in full.
Inpatient care
Our team of doctors, nurses, health care assistants and housekeepers are working around the clock on our inpatient unit, as they always do, to care for those people who need to stay with us for end of life care or who have difficult symptoms.
There are no set visitor numbers and visiting is for an unlimited amount of time, day and night; children of all ages are welcome and pets can also visit.
The Next of Kin/patient will be asked to identify any additional people who are important to the patient as part of the admission process. Where the medical/nursing team identify that a patient has deteriorated and is thought to be entering the last days of life, those important to the patient will be invited to come to the Hospice to visit. At this point they can come and go as they please.
Lateral flow testing (LFD)
Following recent guidelines set out by the government, patients' visitors are no longer required to carry out LFD testing or to register it.
Although visitors will not be expected to demonstrate a negative test on arrival at the hospice, we would encourage you to continue to self test at home, if you are able and happy to do so.
Mask wearing in the Hospice building is optional. We do ask that visitors do not came to the hospice if they have any Covid/flu like symptoms.
Community services
The dedicated Clinical Nurse Specialists in our community teams have continued to visit patients in their homes for palliative care throughout the pandemic; providing specialist assessment, support, advice and care planning. There is also a Clinical Nurse Specialist based in our office every day to receive telephone calls for advice and support to patients , families and other community Doctors and Nurses. This way we can ensure that we can keep up with the increasing numbers of people who need our help, enabling more people to get the care that they so desperately need. Our Community Health Care Assistants continue to visit people at home to deliver our very expert hands on care across Greenwich and Bexley.
On top of her usual workload, our Social Worker is busy ensuring patients have basic supplies at home. We are doing everything that we can to support them.
Our support staff and compassionate neighbours volunteers are working differently to keep in touch with patients who are isolated at home, or to help if they need things bringing to them.
Thank you
To everyone on the front line dealing with the crisis. Our special thanks go to all of you; health and social care workers, supermarket staff, lorry drivers, teachers, the police, council staff, funeral directors and so many others.
Look after yourself and look after each other. We are here if you need us. Thank you for your ongoing support.