GENERAL INFORMATION

Trinity – the hospice in the Fylde is an independent unit established as a Registered Charity and a Limited Company, under the guidance of a Board of Trustees.  Funding is maintained as a joint venture between the Charity and contractual arrangements with the National Health Service.

It is a purpose built unit for patients of all ages requiring specialist palliative care. The 28 bedded Adult Unit opened in June 1985 at Bispham, Blackpool and the 4-bedded Children’s Unit opened in December 1996. There is also a Day Therapy Unit, which offers care to 15 patients a day, 5 days a week.

Patients and relatives are treated as members of a family and invited to share in the community spirit engendered in the Hospice.  Priorities in the care of patients and their relatives are directed towards meeting their physical, psychological and spiritual needs, enabling the family unit to remain cohesive throughout the patient’s stay.

Towards this aim the atmosphere of the Hospice is as homely and relaxed as possible allowing the patients to be as independent as possible.  Relatives are encouraged to participate in care if they wish to do so.

The whole approach to Hospice care is multi-disciplinary with all members of Hospice personnel involved in care.

There is a chapel and a chaplaincy service to cater for the spiritual needs of the patient, relatives and staff who require it.

Volunteers are actively encouraged to help in all aspects of care in nursing and non-nursing areas.  It is hoped in this way to bring to the Hospice a sense of community and give to the community an accurate knowledge of Hospice philosophy.

All voluntary staff undergo the same recruitment and selection procedures as the salaried staff.  Induction training, uniforms and name badges are provided as appropriate.  Trinity – the hospice in the Fylde very much appreciates and values the hard work and unstinting contribution of the voluntary staff.  They are an important part of the Hospice team.

The Adult in-patient area consists of 4 x 4 bedded rooms, 2 x 3 bedded rooms, with en suite bathrooms, and 6 single rooms, a family room, day spaces, quiet areas and relative’s rooms.  This has been designed and arranged to allow patients and their families to maintain, as near as possible, the privacy of family life that they would have in their own home.

There is also an enclosed courtyard area where visitors may obtain drinks and snacks and have a break away from the patient’s bedside if they wish.

The Children’s Unit, Brian House, consists of 4 single bedrooms, a sitting area, dining/play area, bathroom, shower room, quiet room and multi-sensory room with accommodation for parents on the upper floor. It has been designed with children of all age groups in mind and will offer respite care on a regular basis to children suffering from life threatening or life limiting conditions or those who are profoundly handicapped in a homely atmosphere.  It will also offer flexible day care for up to 4 patients a day.

The Hospice service provides a supportive environment for staff.  They are encouraged to integrate into patient and family activities without becoming intrusive.  There are opportunities for them to withdraw and have privacy as the need arises and to this aim the staff lounge and dining areas are separated from the patient area.

A full time District wide Lymphoedema service is available on site in the new Palliative Care Centre and the Clinical Nurse Specialist can also see patients at home or in hospital if necessary.

There is also a Complementary Therapy service in the Palliative Care Centre and this is available to Inpatients and Day Therapy patients and their carers and will extend to outpatients as volunteers are recruited.

The Palliative Care Team consists of 9 Clinical Nurse Specialists led by a Palliative Care Nurse Co-ordinator (who also acts as deputy to Matron).  Three of the team are based at the Victoria Hospital Trust, and six are based in the community offering support and advice to patients and families in their own homes.  All Hospice patients are referred by their GP or Consultant.

The Linden Centre (directly opposite the Hospice) accommodates the Support and Information Service, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for all who need it. It also provides accommodation for the Counselling Co-ordinator.

Care of families does not cease after the death of a patient but continues for as long as it may be needed in the form of coffee mornings and evenings for the newly bereaved, Link evenings (social events) and companionship or counselling from our Information and Support Service based in the Linden Centre.

A bereavement support service CASCADE
(Children & Adolescents Support & Counselling Around Death Experience) is also available from the Linden Centre.

The Robert Hodd Study Centre opened in 1992 and consists of a large Conference Room, smaller Seminar Room and Library, together with a catering facility – all well equipped.

Close links have been forged with the University of Central Lancashire with a Senior Lecturer from the University based at Trinity and responsible for the Modules NP2429 (formally ENB 285) and NP2440 (formally ENB 931) leading to the Diploma in Palliative Care.  Palliative Care Courses are also available to Degree and Masters level.

Education has always been a priority and we wish to continue to develop our Education and Research base to further support our work as leaders in specialist palliative care.

Day to day control of the Hospice is vested in a Management Board consisting of the Medical Director, Matron / Director of Nursing Services, Director of Finance and Director of Development.