Palliative care is the care you, and those important to you, receive when living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Palliative care can be helpful alongside other ways of managing your condition by focusing on symptom management and emotional support. Other treatments may continue.
Palliative care is provided by your medical and nursing teams. If staff feel they need more specialist advice, they will ask the Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team to be involved, with your permission.
We will meet you and talk about what is important to you. You may wish to have friends or family with you.
People in the team
- Doctors with a range of clinical experience including Consultants, Specialty Doctors, Specialist Registrars and GP Trainee Grades.
- Clinical Nurse Specialists with training and experience in palliative care.
- A Senior Pharmacist with specialist knowledge of medications used within this type of care.
People we have links with
- Chaplaincy.
- Psychiatry and psychology services.
- Interventional Pain Team.
What does the team do?
While you are in hospital we:
- give advice on the management of symptoms such as pain, sickness, breathlessness or any other distressing symptom;
- offer the opportunity for you and your family to talk about emotional and spiritual needs or concerns;
- provide links to information and other support services you may need; and
- facilitate referral for inpatient hospice care or community palliative care.
How do we work?
- We will meet you and talk about what is important to you. You may wish to have friends or family with you.
- Visits will be arranged with you based on your needs.
- With your consent, we will discuss your care with appropriate professionals and provide advice to the team looking after you.
- We often have colleagues spending time with our team to develop their knowledge and skills. We will always gain your consent for these visitors to be at your assessment.
- If you require further palliative care support on discharge from hospital, you can be referred to the Neighbourhood Team, Community Palliative Care Team or hospice.
You can access letters we write on the NHS App or request a paper copy.
Hospital Adult Specialist Palliative Care Team
Contact number: 0113 206 4563
Availability: 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m, seven days per week (messages left over the weekend will be checked regularly).
www.leedsth.nhs.uk/a-z-of-services/palliative-care/
Who to contact when you go home
The GP surgery and the Neighbourhood team remain your key contacts.
Further information can be found at:
www.leedspalliativecare.org.uk
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