Hospital Palliative Care Team

Hospital Palliative Care Team

Introduction to the service
The Hospital Palliative Care Team provides advice and support for patients with advanced life-limiting illnesses and their families and carers. This support can be offered whenever it is needed; from when a patient is first diagnosed to when they may be entering the final stages of their life. We also provide clinical advice and education to health care professionals

We offer

• Advice and management of complex symptoms such as pain, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, breathlessness, fatigue.
• Psychological support and advice to patients, carers and significant family members.
• Advice and liaison with nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupation therapists, chaplaincy, social services and other significant members involved in your care both in hospital and at home.
• Liaison with local specialist palliative care services, hospice day care services and community teams.
• The opportunity to discuss preferences and wishes for future care planning.
• For patients who are in hospital and in the last days of life we provide end of life care support.
• Advice on practical matters like finances.
• If you would like a written copy of your discussion with us, please ask.

Team Leader: Avril Adams, Lead Nurse
Consultants: Dr Nicola Heron, Dr Mandeep Uppal, Dr Rachel Bullock

Other Palliative Care Providers
There are three local hospices that the Hospital Palliative Care Team works closely with: St Richard’s Hospice, Worcester (Tel: 01905 763963), Primrose Hospice, Bromsgrove (Tel: 01527 871051), KEMP Hospice, Kidderminster (Tel: 01926 419920).

For patients who require inpatient hospice admission the two hospice units in Worcestershire are located at: St Richard’s Hospice and Primrose at the Princess Unit (at Princess of Wales Community Hospital).

We also work with community palliative care teams. If you are being discharged home from hospital and require on-going palliative care input at home it is the community palliative care teams who will support you. If you are going to have community palliative care team input you may want to write the contact details for the community services in your locality in the box below.

Community Palliative Care Team Name and Number:

District Nursing Team Name and Number:

Data Sharing
The Hospital Palliative Care Team will share your health data with other local health care organisations (such as, local hospices or community teams) in order to ensure continuity of your care. For further information please see Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust Privacy Notice at: www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/gdpr

Summary of our meeting:

The Hospital Palliative Care Team service has bases at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Alexandra Hospital.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals
Hospital Palliative Care Team Direct: 01527 512085
Switchboard: 01905 763333 (Worcestershire Royal Hospital)
Switchboard: 01527 503030 (Alexandra Hospital, Redditch)

The Hospital Palliative Care Team is available on-site from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. An on-call, on-site service is available 8.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Team Member Name:

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything, please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and Friday: 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that a voicemail service is in use at busy times, but messages will be returned as quickly as possible.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

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