Specialist palliative care
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We offer palliative care to people living with a life-limiting illness who require specialist intervention and expertise. The focus of palliative care is not to cure illness, but to relieve suffering and improve quality of life by addressing physical symptoms such as pain as well offering psychological and spiritual support.
We work closely with patients, their families and carers to provide holistic support tailored to individual needs. Our team is integrated with community services, working alongside community nurses, therapists, GPs, and other specialist care providers to ensure co-ordinated care.
We accept referrals from patients and family directly or via any health care professional. Care is often episodic, meaning that patients receive support during periods of increased need, including Advance Care planning and at end of life.
How is the service provided?
Our specialist palliative care nurses provide care through clinic appointments or home visits for patients who are housebound. The service operates seven days a week from 9.00am to 5.00pm, throughout the year.
We will make a comprehensive assessment to understand each person's needs, concerns, and priorities. Working in partnership with patients and those important to them, an individualised care plan is developed based on what matters most to them. This may include advice and support with symptom management, emotional wellbeing, advance care planning, and discussions about future care wishes and preferences, which can be documented and shared with other healthcare professionals involved in their care. Patients may be discharged when their needs have stabilised but can be re-referred or re-opened to the service at any time should further specialist palliative care support be required.
Telephone advice and support for both patients, carers and health care professionals is also available to help with symptom management, decision-making, and access to specialist palliative care expertise.
The Specialist Palliative Care team can be contacted via the Hub on 0300 1237571 Option 2 then option 4
- Service hours: Tel: 0300 123 7571, option 3 Referrals to this service are managed by the HCT-led East and North Herts integrated care co-ordination centre, open from 8am - 8pm seven days a week. If you are a GP wanting to make a referral, please call 0300 123 7571 and select the option ‘For professionals’ to ensure your call is taken as soon as possible. Calls received between 8pm - 10pm will be diverted to locality teams.
- Who is eligible for the service
- What will happen at your appointment
- Useful information
- Making a referral
- Patient experience
Who is eligible for the service
People with a palliative, non-curable condition, experiencing complex symptoms who have a Stevenage, North Hertfordshire or Royston GP.
What will happen at your appointment
We will carry out a comprehensive assessment of what matters most to you using a questionnaire called the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale.
Based on this assessment we will work with you to develop a personalised plan of care and offer support and interventions tailored to your individual needs. This may include signposting to other sources of help. Where appropriate and with your agreement, we can refer you to other health, social care, voluntary sector, or support services to ensure you receive the right care at the right time.
You will be given details of how to contact the Specialist Palliative Care Team should you need further advice or support. Information about accessing the out-of-hours advice line will also be provided, ensuring that support is available whenever you need it.
Useful information
All patients must be aware of and agree to the Specialist Palliative Care referral.
Patient information leaflets
End of Life Care in the Community
End of life eating and drinking Revised
Syringe pump leaflet revised
Terminal agitation leaflet updated
Driving and prescription drugs
Metastatic spinal cord compression
Specialist Palliative Care revised
Patient information parenteral diuretics revised
Websites
Garden House Hospice: Advice Line 01462 416794 / Family Support 01462 670540
Crossroads- providers of homecare and care support 01462 455578
Macmillan Cancer Support including benefit advice 0808 808 0000
Carers in Herts 01992 586969
Money Advice Line 01438 843456
Making a referral
Referrals can be made by any health care professional, and we also accept self-referrals.
Referrals can be made by completing our referral form. Completed forms should be emailed to enhertsccg.admin.palliativecare@nhs.net.
For urgent referrals please contact 0300 123 7571 and select palliative option to discuss with the team.
Patients must consent to the referral prior to us making contact.
Patient experience
"Keep it up. Very good service and helped me with my wellbeing."
"[My nurse] explained fully all the questions we put to her, felt very confident in her company and the answers she gave."
“Tracy, you were so kind, you did what you said you would do and although we only met you once we knew you would give us the right care and support, I really appreciate you calling.”
“Nurse Caroline was lovely, she explained everything clearly and if I didn't understand she very calmly explained everything again.”
“I am so grateful to Santa and the whole NHS; thanks to her support, advice and the nursing care that was put into place, I was able to keep [patient] at home throughout his illness knowing I had a network of help around me and he died peacefully surrounded by his family.
"I looked forward very much to her regular visits and phone calls - Santa was totally reliable and always visited and rang as arranged, she made us feel special although we realised that she must have many patients needing her help.”
We welcome feedback about our service. To do this, you can speak to your Specialist Palliative Care nurse or scan the QR code on our service leaflet which will be given to you, or you can access it here; http://ow.ly/YnLY50J0oiM.
