Care for adults

For patients with a life-limiting illness, there comes a point when we accept that no cure is possible and care becomes palliative, ensuring that the patient is able to make the best of each day they have, and where quality is more important than quantity.

The care we deliver at St Andrew's is different to that which people usually experience in hospital.  In many ways, we turn the clinical model on its head, because our focus is on not only the physical, but alsothe emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and their families. We acknowledge that the person who is the best judge of what those needs are is the patient themself.

Rather than being 'in charge', staff and volunteers work alongside patients, to help people live life to the full.

We provide this patient-centred care through a range of services, which include pain control, symptom relief, skilled nursing care, counselling, complementary therapies, spiritual care, creative therapy, reminiscence and music therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and beauty treatments.

Care doesn't stop when a patient dies - our structured bereavement support helps families through the start of the process of coming to terms with their loss.

Admission criteria

We provide palliative care to anyone over the age of 18 years with a progressive, life-limiting illness.

Although the majority of our patients live in North East Lincolnshire, we accept patients from other areas if it is more convenient for them and their families and we have space available.

No charge is made to any patient, irrespective of their means.

How to refer

Anyone can refer to our service - the patient, their family or GP, the Community Nurse, a Consultant, etc.  This can be done in writing, by telephone, or by visiting the Hospice. We ask that patients are informed that a referral has been made, and we contact the patient's GP before we talk to the patient.

Initially, we conduct an individual needs assessment of the patient, and then care is dependent upon the level of need, bed availability and day care places. All patients are reviewed regularly, and if their condition becomes stable, a discharge from the Hospice is planned.

What care do we offer?

Respite care is planned for a specific period, and enables patients to remain in their own home for as long as is possible, as well as allowing their family to have a break.

Symptom control is the management of symptoms that are proving difficult to manage and which require specialist palliative care.

Rehabilitation is the process of promoting independence by assisting the patient and their family to cope with routine daily activities.

Terminal care enables the patient to die in a place of their choosing, and with the support of the Hospice and their family.

Day Therapy

Patients attend for day therapy depending on their need and the availability of places.

The day unit provides:

• Regular respite care for carers/family.
• Monitoring and assessment of symptom control.
• Ongoing social, emotional, practical, and psychological support.
• Attendance for complementary therapies and Lymphoedema clinics.

Assessment

All patients are assessed by a member of our Senior Nursing team as quickly as possible after referral, usually within 24 hours and no more than 48 hours after obtaining GP permission.  Patients and their family and carers are invited to visit the Hospice prior to admission or attendance, and are given an information booklet.

Availability

• Eight beds are available, but admissions may have to be prioritised if there is a waiting list.
• Emergency admissions are possible when beds are available, but not ideal if the patient is not already known to us. Our preference is early contact and liaison, rather than crisis response.
• Unfortunately, because of our limited resources, we are unable to offer long term residential care.
• Day Therapy has 16 places on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Continuous assessment takes place to ensure flexibility of attendance to meet both the patient's and family/carers' needs.
• The Lymphoedema service has grown rapidly over the past few years as patients and health care professionals become more aware of the importance of early referral and the success of the treatments. We now also deliver weekly clinics at the Pilgrim health centre in Imminghamd and at the Pink Rose Suite at the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby.
• Complementary therapies are undertaken by our own trained nurses and qualified volunteers.

Quality of Care: First 24 Hours/First Attendance

On admission, we spend time allaying the fears and worries of patients and their families and carers, and in establishing a relationship of trust.  We also undertake a careful assessment of the symptoms and listen to what the patients and families/carers have to say about their condition and any problems they have.

We encourage family and carers to accompany the patient on their first visit to give them moral support and help to ease any fears they may have.

During these early days, individual care plans are devised in collaboration with both patient and/or family member/carer.