NHS Gloucestershire is marking World Hospice and Palliative Care Day by celebrating the county’s dedicated teams who support patients and their families through their final days.
Staff, members of the public and experts from across Gloucestershire’s hospice network have been instrumental in shaping the new online resource to help families, carers and those approaching the end of life.
For World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, a day of action which celebrates hospice and palliative care around the world, the NHS in Gloucestershire is reminding people living in the county that support, help and guidance is available.
Jane Haros, Deputy Director of Nursing, Integrated Commissioning, Health, Care and Communities at NHS Gloucestershire said about the new webpage resources:
“We know that when someone is receiving palliative care or facing the end of their life it can bring with it all sorts of questions, from the patient and those who love them. We want our pages to provide a clear answer to some of those questions, from a trusted source.
“We are lucky in Gloucestershire to have a great community of hospices and their support in building this resource has been invaluable. On World Hospice and Palliative Care Day we want to recognise their amazing compassion and remind people that our pages are there to support families, carers and anyone facing end of life care.”
The webpages can be found here.
They also explain aspects of what to expect regarding end of life care, from treatment to hospices and what happens when someone reaches the end of their life.
One of Gloucestershire’s hospices is Longfield, based in Minchinhampton near Stroud. Staff from Longfield were among those actively involved in shaping the content on the webpages. Chief Executive Officer Clare Davis said their aim is simple.
She said:
“When a diagnosis changes everything, we’re here’ is a simple phrase that captures exactly why Longfield exists. Through our Hospice at Home, we are there to provide care and support at the end of someone’s life, providing our patients with everything we can possibly do and supporting their families and loved ones.
“Our Wellbeing centre focuses equally on emotional and physical wellbeing, looking after people who have received a diagnosis along with their loved ones, families and carers.”
Sue Ryder provides expert and compassionate palliative care to people across the county from its Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice near Cheltenham and to people who prefer to receive care in their homes through its Hospice at Home service.
The charity also offers a range of Online Bereavement Support and their Grief King Spaces located in Gloucester and Cheltenham provide friendly in-person support to anyone who has been bereaved.
Elise Hoadley, Service Director at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, the county’s only specialist palliative care inpatient unit, said:
“From providing care and support for people at the end of their life to helping someone manage their grief, we know there is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need. We can’t make life’s most difficult moments easy, but we can carry some of the load. The NHS Gloucestershire webpages are a great starting point for families looking for trusted information and support.
“We can make a positive difference during even the darkest of times. Whether in the last months, weeks or days of life, or living with grief, we help people live the best life they possibly can. We are there when it matters.”
Families, carers and patients can find out more about Gloucestershire’s hospices and the services they provide on the NHS Gloucestershire site. The pages provide information and practical advice, from care planning to how to communicate your wishes.
Dr Claire Kingswood, NHS Gloucestershire’s Primary Care Clinical Lead for End of Life and Care in the Community and a GP based in Nailsworth, said having clear information can be important for both patients and those who care for them.
She said:
“We want to make sure those facing life changing news have all the information they need from trusted sources in one place. You may not need all the information at once, or you may not be ready, but we wanted to ensure that reliable and accessible information is available when, and if, it is needed. Palliative Care and Hospice Care can feel hard to navigate, but we hope by building our digital resources, answering those tricky questions and providing clinician and expert-led resources we can provide reassurance and trusted advice.
“Alongside our online resources, Gloucestershire has a wonderful network of hospices, district nurses and specialist and palliative care services to support those who need them. Nobody should feel they have to go through End of Life Care alone, whether you are a patient, family member or a carer.”