Palliative Supportive Care
Palliative Care is the care of patients with advanced progressive illness. This can include both patients with cancer and non-cancer; such as dementia, heart failure & COPD.
Early intervention by palliative care teams is known to improve both patient and relative experiences.
What can palliative care provide the patient?
The aim of palliative care is to achieve good quality of life for the patient and their family. This can be achieved by good symptom management, psychological, social and spiritual support.
Palliative Care Team
The team is made up of a consultant, specialist nurses and a chaplain
Our service aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention of and relief of suffering.
Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialist
The clinical nurse specialists will see the patient on the ward after gaining their consent, and provide advice and support to them and their family. This will be in the form of treatment plans and information relating to the patient's future care. The patient will be included in all decisions made regarding their care. The nurses can also give advice on controlling the patient's symptoms should this be required. The specialist nurses work closely with the palliative care consultant and will ask for their input with the patient's care as necessary.
The consultant and specialist nurses are all based in Weston General Hospital.
Hospital Chaplain:
They will visit our patients on the ward if they wish. They will in no way impose their religious beliefs on them. They can provide a confidential 'listening ear'. More about the Chaplaincy Service
Contact details of other Pastoral Care Workers are available from the Team, Wards, General Office or Hospital Switchboard Office.
Outpatient Clinic
Clinics are held in the general outpatient department on the ground floor at Weston General Hospital on Friday morning.
Appointments are only given on referral by a GP, other doctor or from the hospice specialist palliative care community nurses.
Further information can be obtained through the Cancer Information & Support Centre based on the first floor at Weston General Hospital. This Centre is a free and confidential 'walk in' support and information service for anyone affected by cancer.
Last Updated: 07/11/2019