Service overview - Palliative care
Our palliative care teams provide end of life care support for people who are in the last months or years of their life.
End of life care is about making sure you live as well as possible until you die, and to die with dignity. Our staff provide your care your care taking into account your wishes and preferences. They should also support your family, carers or other people who are important to you.
You have the right to express your wishes about where you would like to receive care and where you want to die. You can receive end of life care at home, or in care homes, hospices or hospitals, depending on your needs and preference.
People who are approaching the end of life are entitled to high-quality care, wherever they're being cared for.
Video appointments
Many of our services offer video calls as a more convenient way of having an appointment with one of our healthcare professionals. This reduces the need for you to attend the hospital physically.
If you have an appointment letter with a video appointement link and instructions, please read more on our Video appointments page.
Basildon Hospital - Palliative medicine services
Palliative and end of life care
‘Patients cared for in Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals should receive the end of life care they need at the time they need it and that care should be of the highest quality. Patients and their families should have access to the same support and care from arrival at the hospital through care and death and into bereavement, and wherever they are looked after in the hospital. Their care should be individualised to their needs and all endeavours made to meet their wishes and preferences whenever possible.’
The Trust’s vision for end of life care, from the End of Life Care strategy.
About the service
Services and support include:
Macmillan specialist palliative care team
Macmillan counselling service
Chaplaincy team
Bereavement services
Orsett Ward
Macmillan Infospace information point - in the outpatient department
All clinical staff are able to access training and education in end of life care, as well as support from the Specialist Palliative Care team seven days a week.
Palliative care focuses on:
Quality of life issues
Pain and symptom control
Emotional support for patients and their families
The palliative care team provides care for patients on all wards, and works closely with GPs, community Macmillan nurses, district nurses, hospice-at-home, hospices and social care services.
Other ways the team can help include:
Social/financial advice
Bereavement support
Teaching and education for other professionals
Contacts
For more information on end of life care, please call the Macmillan specialist palliative care team.
Telephone: 01268 394740.
Southend Hospital - Palliative medicine services
Palliative medicine
Our palliative medicine department works with terminally ill patients and patients with chronic and complex long-term conditions to control pain.
We provide emotional, psychological, social and spiritual care for all patients, their families and their carers.
Contact us
Palliative care nurses: 01702 435555 ext 5190