On 29 April a new service will be launched in South Warwickshire to provide specialist overnight care for people who are approaching the end of their lives.
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), The Myton Hospices, Shakespeare Hospice and Shipston Home Nursing have developed a rapid response service that builds upon the Hospice at Home service currently available.
The partnership project means that staff will be ready to assess patients and provide the care and support required between 8pm and 8am. To ensure the service can be accessed quickly, a dedicated mobile telephone number will be provided to those living at home or in care homes that are known to be approaching the end of their lives.
Additionally, these contact details will be available for a range of health and care professionals such as GPs, ambulance crews and hospitals’ emergency departments.
The service will be staffed by experienced Registered Nurses and Senior Health Care Assistants who have received the necessary training to meet the care needs of people approaching the end of their lives. They will provide advice on physical symptoms like pain and sickness and administer injections to ease these problems if needed. In addition to helping to manage physical symptoms, staff will offer emotional support for patients and their families.
They will work to enable people to remain at home if this is their wish and the wish of their family. This expert care will contribute to an end of life experience for local people that is as comfortable and dignified as possible.
Gemma Roberts, Head of Nursing Services at Shipston Home Nursing said:
We are excited to be working closely with our sister Charities and SWFT to ensure the best possible care for patients at the end of their lives. This much needed service to provide support to patients and families when they feel at their most vulnerable will be invaluable and will complement the work of our charity.
Julie Hemming, Locality Manager at SWFT said:
To ensure we have the correct expertise within the team we have recruited staff from both community and hospice settings with excellent knowledge and experience in palliative/end of life care. Many patients have expressed the wish to stay in their own home with their loved ones and families at this difficult time and I truly believe the service will provide the support and reassurance needed to make this happen.
Ruth Freeman, CEO, The Myton Hospices:
We are combining our palliative care expertise to ensure people get the best end of life care when and where they need it. Being able to call our Rapid Response team at night will make a huge difference for patients and their families and will avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
Angie Arnold, CEO, The Shakespeare Hospice said:
We are pleased the ethos of the Hospice at Home service will be adopted across South Warwickshire.
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