St Margaret of Scotland Hospice Community Palliative Care Services operates within the following post codes — G3, G11, G12, G13, G14, G15, G60, G61, G62, G81 and parts of G20
The Community Palliative Care Service is based in St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in Clydebank and provides support and advice to patients and carers (in their own homes) who are experiencing a progressive, life-threatening illness.
About the Service
St Margaret of Scotland Hospice Community Palliative Care Services is a nurse-led service which compliments the care given by the patient's own doctor, district nurse and other Health Care professionals.
The Community Palliative Care Nurses who work within the service are experienced registered nurses with specialist knowledge and expertise in Palliative Care. In addition, they have access to the expertise of other members of the Hospice multi-professional team.
Service Aims
The overall aim of the service is to enable patients to be cared for in their own home, if this is their choice, by:
Providing advice when required regarding pain and symptom management
Providing psychosocial and spiritual support
Being a resource for Primary Care Teams and other Health Care Professionals
Facilitating short Hospice Admissions if required
Contributing to the Palliative Care Education Programmes
Providing short-term support for carers in bereavement is another aim of the service, referring to bereavement support agencies if longer term support is required. Philosophy of Care
The provision of care from the Community Palliative Care Service takes account of the uniqueness of the individual and their culture, is patient centred and designed to meet the changing and complex needs of patients and carers.
Mode of Referral
Referrals are accepted from Health Care Professionals using the Hospice referral form, provided the patient has given consent and has Palliative Care needs. Patients may self-refer but their General Practitioner must be in agreement and complete the Hospice referral form. Urgent referrals are accepted by telephone, followed by a completed Hospice referral form. Before being accepted to the Service, the referral is discussed with members of the multi-professional team. Prior to contacting the patient, the patient’s General Practitioner is informed of the referral if from another source. Once the referral has been accepted, contact is normally made with the patient within two working days of receipt of the referral and a home visit arranged within five working days.
Criteria for Referral
The patient has consented to the referral
The patient has a progressive, life-threatening illness requiring complex symptom management
The patient/carer requires support to adjust to the diagnosis of a progressive life-threatening illness
Health Care Professionals caring for the patient/carer require specialist advice and support
Frequency of Visits
The level of involvement from the Community Palliative Care Nurse will depend on the complexity of the patient and carer’s needs and the requirements of the Primary Care Team. There are four levels of intervention:
Level 1 Telephone advice
Level 2 A single visit made alone or with the referring Health
Care Professional
Level 3 Short term interventions until the problem or issue is
improved or resolved
Level 4 Regular assessment and review of ongoing
complex issues
Discharge Policy
The length of time the patient remains within the service will vary according to the patient and carer’s needs. Patients may be discharged from the service if:
Following initial assessment, they do not meet the criteria
The patient or carer refuses the service at the initial assessment or any time thereafter
The patient’s condition becomes stable, or patient and carer issues are improved or resolved
The needs of the patient and carers are more appropriately met by other Hospice, Community or Social Services
When a patient is discharged from the service, their GP is informed in writing. Re-admission to the service is by self-referral if within 6 months of discharge date, or referral from a Health Care Professional.
Hours of Business
Monday to Friday — 8.30am to 4.30pm
Tel: 0141 435 7008 or 0141 435 7009
Out of Hours Support
Tel: 0141 435 7011 (Ward)
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