Service spotlight: Hospice support in your own home

Every day, members of the Hospice’s dedicated Outreach Team visit homes across the community, providing specialist advice and support.

Whether someone is living at home, in a care home, or with family, they are there to help people living with a life-limiting illness and those who have specialist palliative care needs.

To ensure care is coordinated, they work closely with a patient’s GP, (who remains the patient’s primary care provider), hospitals, district nurses and other healthcare professionals.

Tracey’s family was supported by the team when caring for father-in-law John after a diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

“With the shock of the diagnosis, we felt lost and didn’t know which way to turn,” said Tracey. “Thankfully, we were put in touch with the Outreach service. The nurse we spoke to had a kind, frank discussion with us. It really helped us to cope at such a difficult time and come to terms with what was happening.”

Denise O’Malley, Head of Hospice Outreach, said: “The majority of the Hospice’s patients are cared for in the community. There is a wealth of expertise in the team, with specialist nurses, physiotherapists and counsellors, who are all there to care for each person’s needs. Our aim is to offer reassurance, dignity and compassionate care.”