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Information For Referrers

The following information is provided to inform you of the Hospice services available to your patients and their families. We are aware that there may be instances where this information may not address the needs of your patient and should this be the case we would encourage you to contact the Medical Secretaries Team. You will then be put in contact with an appropriate member of the clinical team who will answer your questions and discuss your requirements with you.

Inpatient Care

The catchment area is Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell, South Staffordshire and East Shropshire. 22 beds are available to care for individuals diagnosed with a life limiting illness. The in patient unit is staffed by a multi-professional team experienced in providing specialist and generalist palliative care to address the many symptoms and problems that can be associated with cancer and other life limiting illnesses.

The Hospice is a short stay facility providing pain relief, symptom control, respite care and terminal care. The unit mainly cares for patients with cancer but can also provide care for patients with some other life limiting illnesses subject to availability of beds.

Patients who are close to death are not discharged unless it is their express wish to return home. In these circumstances the priority is to access all available support services for the patients and their carers in order to facilitate a safe discharge.

Criteria for inclusion on the waiting list

  1. Admission for control of symptoms requiring the intervention of the specialist multidisciplinary team in the in-patient setting. This also includes individuals with non specialist palliative care needs.
  2. Admission for adjustment of medication where this has been difficult in another setting or where the patient has specific needs that require in-patient observation during changes of medication.
  3. Admission for an agreed period for nursing assessment where the patient has identified nursing needs i.e. Lymphoedema, fungating lesions.
  4. Admission for care in the last few days of life.
  5. Short term admission for family or carer support.
  6. Short term admission for rehabilitation where discharge home or to another care setting has been previously agreed.

Criteria which would not be accepted as appropriate for the waiting list

  1. Admission for long term health or social care where patients needs could be addressed in another health care setting.
  2. Admission during family or carer holiday, re-decoration, renovation works at home or because of planned hospitalisation of relatives or carers. See Respite section.
  3. Patients waiting for placement i.e. nursing home.
  4. Patients with significant mental health needs or who have advanced organic cerebral disease i.e. senile dementia.
  5. Patients who wander or for whom the hospice environment is deemed unsafe.
  6. Patients where the reason for admission is unclear and where there are no identifiable goals for the MDT or the patient to achieve.
  7. Patients who do not choose to accept the in patient unit as their appropriate place of care.
  8. Patients under 18.

Planned Respite Care

Respite care is available to support patients and carers when the patient’s preferred place of care is in the home. LIMITED AVAILABILITY in the Hospice means that respite care in other settings such as a nursing home should be explored as it maybe a more satisfactory option.

Two types of respite care are available:

IN-PATIENT RESPITE CARE FOR A MAXIMUM OF TWO WEEKS ON ANY ONE OCCASION.

This will depend on the needs of patients and their carers

COMMUNITY RESPITE IN THE PATIENT’S HOME

This is a limited service, available in some areas, to provide short periods of respite care e.g. half a day or a day via Compton Hospice’s Hospice at Home team.

Compton Hospice also provides the following clinical services:-

Day Care

Twenty day places per day for 4 days per week (Tues-Friday) are available for patients living in Wolverhampton, parts of South Staffordshire and for some patients living on the Wolverhampton border of Dudley, Sandwell and Shropshire.

Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Service (Home Care Team equivalent to Macmillan Nurses)

The Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Service visits patients within their own homes and is available for advice to professionals 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. Patients are seen throughout the area of Wolverhampton, parts of South Staffordshire, Dudley, East Shropshire and some on the borders of Wolverhampton with Sandwell and Walsall. All patients will receive an initial contact within 2 weeks of referral during which arrangements for on-going contacts will be made.

Hospice at Home

A Nursing Service is available mainly for the last few days of life for patients living within the Wolverhampton area.

Medical Service

The Hospice Medical Team carries out domiciliary visits throughout the catchment area of the Hospice. Joint visits with Macmillan Nurses or GPs can be arranged. Patients are seen in the Outpatient Clinic at the Hospice when possible.

Social Work and Family Services

Options for patients and families include: practical advice and support e.g., welfare rights, making a will; psychological and emotional support for individuals and the whole family. Also available is assistance with preparation of children for the death of a family member; listening and exploring views on difficult and painful decisions, e.g., assisting patients and family in deciding future care plans. We can help to refer to Counselling or Psychology services and advocate on behalf of patients, with Social Services regarding care in the community or Nursing or Residential homes.

Complementary Therapy Service

Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Reiki are offered to Hospice patients and their main carers. The service is delivered as an outpatient, on the ward area, in the Day Unit or community when possible.

Physiotherapy Service

In addition to general in patient physiotherapy, the Rehabilitation services offered by this department aim to maximise patients independence in order to meet their goals which are jointly agreed between the health care professional and the patient.

Bereavement Service

Bereavement support is available for families and friends of those who have received care from any of the Compton Hospice teams. We offer individual support from qualified Staff and trained Bereavement Visitors or the opportunity to join a support group led by trained volunteers. Individual or group support for children and young people from qualified Staff can be requested at any time.

Wolverhampton Lymphoedema services (WLS)

These services provided by this Department are available for some patients living in the catchment area covered by the Hospice via a separate referral process. For further information please contact 01902 774517, out of hours 0845 2255 497.