Your GP, your hospital doctor, or your District Nurse has referred you to Hospice in the Weald so that you and your family can benefit from our expertise to improve your quality of life and be supported during your illness.

The GP is ‘in charge' of your care at home even if the Hospice is involved.  Hospice in the Weald's Clinical Team work very closely with your GP and always talk to your GP about any changes in your medication, as he/she remains responsible for writing prescriptions.

No.  The District Nurse will continue to be involved with your nursing care, and will work with the Clinical Nurse Specialists to provide the best all-round care for you and your family.  The Clinical Nurse Specialists  focus on symptom control, support and advice.

We will do everything we can to make sure a bed is available for you if it is appropriate.  However, if there are no beds available there may be a delay of a few days.  If this is the case, then your Clinical Nurse Specialist will talk to you about arranging extra help at home until a bed comes available.

This should be discussed with your Clinical Nurse Specialist, the staff on the In-Patient Unit or the Day Therapy Centre staff to make sure your wishes are known to the appropriate people.

If you would like to consider making an Advanced Decision (also known as Living Will), the forms you require can be obtained from the Health Information Centre at Hospice in the Weald.

For most patients that come to Hospice in the Weald, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) would not be appropriate.  Staff would normally discuss this with you and your relatives or carers if you give them permission to do so.

For some patients, however, it might be right to consider CPR.  In these situations the doctor or nurse will discuss this with you and help you decide what you would like to happen.  If you are too ill to make a decision, the doctors and nurses are ethically bound to make the decision for you.  Your relatives can be involved in this discussion but cannot make up your mind for you.  Provision of treatment will always be subject to the approval of the Clinical Team.

You are welcome to see a copy of Hospice in the Weald's policy on resuscitation or to discuss its approach to treatment with a member of the staff if you have any concerns. 

If your condition stabilises and specialist palliative care services are no longer appropriate, Hospice care may be temporarily suspended. This would be fully discussed with you in advance.  It is, however, very easy for the Hospice to become involved again if the need arises.

Hospice in the Weald aims to achieve excellence in all areas and provide the best possible standards of care in meeting the needs of patients, their families and carers.  We will investigate fully any matters of concern which are raised by our patients and their families.

All matters raised should, in the first instance, be referred to the relevant nursing, medical or support staff either verbally or in writing.  In the event that a particular matter needs further action, or you consider that the response received is inadequate, a written notice should be addressed to the Medical Director and copied to the Chief Executive. 

An acknowledgement of the receipt of a complaint will be sent within two working days.  A formal written response from the senior member of staff charged with investigating the complaint will be sent within 20 working days. If it is not possible to respond within 20 working days, an interim response will be sent, informing the complainant of the progress that has been made. 

In the unlikely event that the reply has not been forthcoming or dealt with adequately in the opinion of the patient or their family, the matter may be referred to:

Healthcare Commission, Finsbury Tower, 103-105 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TG

Telephone 020 7448 9200,

e-mail feedback@healthcarecommission.org.uk

website www.healthcarecommission.org.uk