This leaflet has been written to provide information about palliative care. We hope it answers some of the questions or concerns you may have. It is not intended to replace talking with medical or nursing staff.
What is Palliative care?
Palliative care refers to the care of patients who may have cancer or other life threatening illnesses, when treatment may not be able to provide a cure. If this is the case, your doctor may suggest treatments that will aim to prolong your life and keep you as well as possible. Care is aimed at controlling pain and other symptoms and providing support for you and your family.
Who is involved in the Specialist Palliative Care Team?
The team consists of Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists, Doctors, Occupational Therapists, Medical Social Workers, and a variety of other professionals including Physiotherapists, Dieticians and Pharmacists. The team also works closely with GP’s and District Nurses and Community Macmillan Nurses.
Once you are referred to the Specialist Palliative Care Team you have an identified key worker. Your key worker will be available for you to contact if you have any concerns regarding your symptoms or any questions about your illness. The key worker will be a Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist / Macmillan Nurse who will continuously assess your needs and discuss your care with you and your family at every stage of your illness. You may have other key workers who can visit you at home, like District Nurse or Community Macmillan Nurse.
Your key worker is:
Why might I be referred to the Specialist Palliative Care Team?
It is recognised that coming to terms with a serious illness can be very difficult. The Specialist Palliative Care Team are able to offer support to you and your family throughout your illness, not just at the later stages as often thought. You may feel you need extra support from time to time and it can help to talk through your thoughts and feelings. The team also advise on symptom and pain control and can be an expert source of information for you and for the people caring for you. The overall aim of the Specialist Palliative Care Team is to make sure the best possible quality of life is achieved for both you and your family.
Where does Palliative care take place?
This depends on your illness, any treatment you have, your symptoms and your personal choice. Palliative care takes place in a variety of settings depending on your individual needs. These include your own home, hospitals, either as an inpatient or an outpatient, nursing homes and hospices. Throughout your illness your key worker and Specialist Palliative Care Team will assess your needs and discuss your care with you and your family as required.
Supporting Services
Dietician
The dietician service is available should you experience any changes or difficulties with your food intake or loss of weight.
Occupational Therapist
The Occupational Therapist can assess issues with daily living activities such as mobility, bathing, breathlessness and quality of life issues.
Medical Social Worker
The Medical Social Worker can discuss practical support for you and your family at home and can assist you with benefit claims that you may be eligible for due to your condition.
Psychology Services
Anxiety and depression are often experienced by patients and their families when living with a serious illness. If you think that these feelings are affecting your day to day living, you may want to discuss this with your GP, District Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist or Hospital Doctor. In some circumstances specialist support from the psychology service may be felt to be helpful and your nurse or doctor will discuss this with you.
Complimentary Therapies
If you feel you would benefit from complimentary therapy please ask a member of the Specialist Palliative Care Team who can refer you. This service is provided by non-NHS staff. In Liverpool, organisations providing these therapies are:- The Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool in Woolton, Liverpool 25. The Sunflower Centre in Aigburth, Liverpool 1. Woodlands Hospice in Aintree, Liverpool 9.
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD)
If you have an ICD you may wish to discuss this with your Cardiac Team or another health care professional as in some cases it is necessary to review your therapy.
Further information
- Specialist Palliative Care is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday: 0151 600 1630 or 0151 600 1247
- Social Workers: 0151 282 6000
- Occupational Therapist: 0151 600 1956
- Macmillan Cancer Support 0845 601 6161 www.macmillan.org.uk
- Cancerbackup Freephone 0808 800 1234 www.cancerbackup.org.uk
- The Sunflower Centre 0151 726 8934 www.liverpoolsunflowers.com
- Lyndale –Knowsley Cancer Support Centre 0151 489 3538 or www.knowsley-cancer-support.co.uk
- NHS Direct 0845 4647 (24 hrs a day, 365 days a year) www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
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