Untitled Document

COMMUNITY & PALLIATIVE CARE TEAMS Photograph of a patient and a specially trained palliative care nurse , obviously close, discusing some topic at the patients bedside.
The community and palliative care team are a team of specialist nurses who provide specialist palliative care advice and support to people and their carers in hospital and the community.

WHAT IS A CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST IN PALLIATIVE CARE?
A clinical nurse specialist in palliative care is a qualified nurse who has undertaken extra training in palliative care. This means that they have the special skills needed to support individuals, and those close to them, affected by life threatening illnesses with complex needs.

Here in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre these nurses are employed and supported by Trinity palliative care services. In some parts of the country they are called Macmillan nurses because they are adopted by the charity Macmillan cancer relief.

The clinical nurse specialists will not provide any hands on nursing care, nor will they take over your care from your current healthcare team. Rather they will work with your healthcare team providing advice and information as needed. Photograph of a patient and a specially trained palliative care nurse , obviously close, discusing some topic at the patients bedside.

WHO CAN HAVE A CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST IN PALLIATIVE CARE?
Anyone who has a life threatening or life limiting illness and who has developed problems that are complex and which their own healthcare teams are finding hard to manage.

HOW MANY CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS IN PALLIATIVE CARE ARE THERE?
There are nine specialist nurses in total. Six work in the community and three work in the hospital.

HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY TEAM OF CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS WORK?
The community team of specialist nurses work with a patient’s general practitioner and district nurses to try and help with complex problems such as difficult symptoms or troublesome issues about thoughts and feelings.

They can provide information about an illness, its treatment and any medicines that are needed. Photograph of a patient and a specially trained palliative care nurse , obviously close, discusing some topic at the patients bedside.

When necessary they might suggest a referral to the day therapy unit, complementary therapy service, counselling and support service or lymphoedema services. If needed they may suggest admission to the in-patient unit of the hospice.

HOW DOES THE HOSPITAL TEAM CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS WORK?
The hospital team of specialist nurses work with a patient’s consultant and hospital nurses to try and help with complex problems such as difficult symptoms or troublesome issues about thoughts and feelings.

They can provide information about an illness, its treatment and any medicines that are needed.

When necessary they might suggest transfer to the hospice in-patient unit on discharge from hospital. For patients able to go home from hospital they may suggest referral to the day therapy unit or referral to the community palliative care team.

HOW DO YOU GET HELP FROM THE PALLIATVE CARE TEAM? Photograph of a patient and a specially trained palliative care nurse , obviously close, discusing some topic at the patients bedside.
Referrals to the team can come from a patient’s family doctor (GP) or hospital consultant. Once a referral is received it is discussed and where needed an assessment is made by a member of the palliative care team. They will discuss which parts of the service may be appropriate for the needs of the individual referred.