This service offers Palliative Care to people who have a life limiting illness and require specialist intervention and expertise. It is particularly important for people who require end of life care or have advanced disease. The aim is not to cure but to relieve suffering relating to physical, psychological, spiritual and pain management issues, improving the quality of life of the person who is ill and supporting the people caring for them.
The team provides expertise in pain and symptom management and psychological needs. We will support and help patients and their families plan for the future, by helping patients and their loved ones to think about and record what matters to them in their future care.
Across Hertfordshire we work in an integrated way to help support the patient and their family in the community. This means that we are based with community nurses and therapists and work alongside other palliative care providers.
The Specialist Palliative Care team is made up of highly trained professionals including Clinical Nurse Specialists, doctors, a psychologist, and administrative staff.
The Hertfordshire Community Specialist Palliative Care team serves North Hertfordshire covering North Herts, Stevenage and Royston areas and West Hertfordshire covering Hertsmere and Watford and Three Rivers.
What does the Specialist Palliative Care Team do?
- They will see patients who need specialist intervention in a Nurse led Clinic or visit patients’ homes once housebound.
- They complete a holistic assessment and offer specialist intervention and expertise.
- They provide a high level of clinical decision making and advice on complex pain and symptom control issues.
- They support patients and their families to be looked after in their preferred place of care.
- They offer a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death.
- They help their families cope during the patients’ illness and in their own bereavement.
- They provide episodes of care, so will see you when you have a specialist need. Once resolved they will hand your care back over to your GP or District Nurse. However, you will be able to contact us via telephone if you have any concerns or needs and they will always revisit if needed.
- They can help signpost you to other appropriate services.
Contact the service
North Hertfordshire
Telephone: 0300 123 7571
West Hertfordshire
Telephone: 01923 335358