Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team
Palliative Care is an approach that aims to improve the quality of a patient’s life and to support families facing the problems associated with a life-limiting illness.
Anyone living with an incurable illness may benefit from Palliative Care. For example, people with all types of incurable cancer, advanced heart disease, advanced respiratory disease, dementia or those at the final stage of progressive, neurological disease. Palliative Care aims to affirm life and regards dying as a normal process.
It can help at all stages of the illness while treatment is in progress and at the end stages of life.
Referrals to the Specialist Palliative Care Team
Referrals are usually made by your hospital consultant, specialist nurse or ward team. You or your family can also self-refer but we would ask that you discuss this with your ward team. As we are an advisory service, all referrals made to us will be discussed with your hospital ward team.
Our Services
We work in an advisory capacity alongside the doctors and nurses involved in your care at Kettering General Hospital. We will carry out a personalised assessment to identify your needs.
We can offer:
-
Advice and information on symptom management such as pain, nausea, fatigue and breathlessness.
-
Psychological support to patient, families and staff.
-
Information about your illness, treatment and what to expect in the future.
We liaise with:
-
Hospital Consultant Teams
-
Community Palliative Care Teams
-
Hospices
-
Community Doctors and Nurses
-
Social care and other services
Our Team
The hospital team currently consists of:
-
2 Consultants in Palliative Medicine
-
6 Palliative Care Nurse Specialists
-
1 Palliative Care Nurse
-
Team Co-ordinator
Useful Links
Cransley Hospice - www.cransleyhospice.org.uk
Cynthia Spencer Hospice - www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk