Specialist palliative care teams

An illustration of a dandelion with petals flying to represent our bereavement teamOur hospital-based specialist palliative care teams provide support for individuals, their loved ones and carers who are facing issues associated with an incurable advanced/progressive or sudden illness and are in the last year, weeks or days of life.

You will be referred to our service by the treating medical team during your admission if:

  • your symptoms are new, unresolved, or getting worse
  • your symptoms need reviewing
  • you need emotional, psychological, or spiritual support (or signposting to other services for extra support). 

What we do

We aim to prevent or relieve complex symptoms of a physical nature, for example vomiting and pain.

Assessment and planning

Once you have been referred to the service, one of our team will make an initial assessment. This is to identify what may be troubling you and create a treatment plan to help manage symptoms. This will hopefully allow you to live comfortably and distress-free until approaching your terminal phase. 

We may see you in varying scenarios and locations within the hospital environment. 

After your initial assessment, a plan will be made regarding ongoing management.  This may involve further reviews by one of our team, or it may be that a clear plan is shared with your treating medical team who will re-contact the Specialist Palliative Care Team if a further review is required. 

Supporting your needs

We will support you as best we can while you are an inpatient with decisions, choices, planning preferences and the wishes you have and of those who are important to you.

As a team, we will support you and your loved ones in the form of specialist advice and planning.

Continuing care with specialist staff training

We provide specialist advice for healthcare staff who are looking after you, because much of your care will be provided by professionals who are not specialist in palliative care. 

This advice is supported by a palliative medicine specialist consultant (available at each site) to give guidance on your management and treatment.

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Advance Care Planning (ACP)

Advance Care Planning (ACP) describes a voluntary conversation that is person centred between you and a health care professional (HCP). This will only take place if you have the mental capacity to do so and are living with a life limiting illness.

This discussion covers your priorities and preferences for your future care and will be built into your care plan.  This conversation is usually carried out over several visits and can also involve family members or friends. Once done, you can review and revise your ACP if needed.  

The ACP will help you to feel confident that your care and treatment is focused on what is important and matters to you in a holistic, personalised way. It can also include engagement with the palliative care team and other community services to allow you to live as well as possible and in the place of your choice.

It’s important to remember that the ACP is a voluntary process and some individuals have different levels of preparedness to consider the implications involved with their care plan. 

These conversations should cover:

  • What is important to you.
  • What you would want to happen if you become unwell.
  • What would you want to NOT happen to you if you become unwell.
  • Who would speak for you if you are unable to speak for yourself.

Some people may not be ready to have this conversation and should not feel rushed in to doing so. 

Once your wishes and thoughts have been documented with your consent, your ACP document will be shared on an electronic register (EPaCCS) and only those teams involved in your care will have access to this, making sure you are getting the right care at the right time.  This will also be visible to out of hours teams, paramedics, acute and primary care, and other community services.

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Working with community providers

Not all of your care will take place in the hospital environment. 

You may experience some admissions into hospital when you have a palliative diagnosis, and sometimes this may be at different hospital sites, but your care will be coordinated with community healthcare providers when necessary.

Our hospital palliative care teams have good rapport and communication with our community colleagues and access to the community care records. This could be district nurses, community palliative care nurses, GPs, therapists and hospice staff, as they may be involved in your care and support package when you are not in hospital. 

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Meet the team

We provide training and education for internal healthcare professionals to contribute and make sure that you receive a safe and high standard of care during your stay.

Our teams at each site consists of:

  • palliative medicine consultant
  • lead nurse for palliative and end of life care
  • palliative and end of life clinical nurse specialists.

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Contact us

We offer a seven-day service at all three main hospital sites of our Trust.  

You can contact us on the numbers below Monday to Friday or ask the ward team to bleep us at the weekend.

  • Basildon Hospital — call 0300 443 0183.
  • Broomfield Hospital — call  0300 443 0366.
  • Southend Hospital — call 0300 443 0203. 

View accessibility information about this area on the AccessAble website at https://www.accessable.co.uk/mid-and-south-essex-nhs-foundation-trust/southend-university-hospital/access-guides/palliative-care. 

Useful links

Macmillan Cancer support — useful for cancer treatment information for different tumour sites, when treatment option stops. There is also advice for  finances/benefits, and advice for young people and young children with parents who have a cancer diagnosis. Visit https://www.macmillan.org.uk. 

Citizens Advice — a charity that provides free advice and information on various topics, such as benefits, debt, consumer, family, housing, immigration and health. Visit https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk. 

One Response (ST Luke’s hospice) — your healthcare worker or palliative nurse may refer you. Call 01268 526259 or visit https://www.stlukeshospice.com. 

Fair Havens hospice — your health care worker or palliative nurse may refer you. Call 01702 220350 or visit https://www.havenshospices.org.uk. 

Farleigh hospice — your health care worker or palliative nurse may refer you. Call 01245 457300 or email info@farleighhospice.org. 

Age UK — for information on older people living with illness, advice re benefits and support. Visit https://www.ageuk.org.uk. 

Cancer Information Centre at Southend Hospital — visit Macmillan cancer information and support service.

Our bereavement nurse specialist — visit Bereavement services at our mid and south Essex hospitals.

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