NCH&C’s Community Specialist Palliative Care Team provides home visits, telephone, video call, and outpatient appointments following referral for patients with complex palliative care needs.
Patients may have input from a range of professionals working within this team including specialist nurses, specialist doctors, and psychological therapists.
Referrals to the service must be made by a health or social care professional, such as GP, hospital team, or community nurse.
NCH&C’s Specialist Palliative Care Team provide a telephone service for anyone requiring palliative care advice or support. This service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can be used by patients as well as carers, friends, or family members. You do not need a referral to the Community Specialist Palliative Care team to access the telephone advice service.
To contact the service please dial 0330 158 8011 and select option 2, (advice for patients, family, and carers). Please note this is a telephone support service for non-emergency calls only. If you feel that your call is a medical emergency, please dial 999.
The telephone advice line is not a visiting service, but if a nurse determines that face-to-face support is required, a referral may be made to an appropriate service with your consent.
In the Day Service Unit, NCH&C provide support for people who are dealing with advanced progressive incurable illnesses for example cancer, neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease, and later stage heart failure. This service is for adults aged 18+ who have been referred by a healthcare professional.
The Therapy and Nursing Team are committed to providing safe and welcoming surroundings where personal choice, independence and positive living are encouraged in a supportive way. The Day Unit teams aim to maximise the quality of life for those living with life limiting illnesses within their local community, by delivering high quality holistic care through a range of therapeutic sessions, the provision of information and signposting to support physical and emotional symptoms. The day centre service offers the opportunity for patients to attend therapeutic sessions as well as some prescribed medical treatments.
The available sessions include managing breathlessness, an exercise group, a group to manage emotions and fears through relaxation and other techniques, and groups which provide psychological support using exploration of the arts or creativity.
The medical, nursing and therapy teams offer out-patient appointments for patients and families to attend for a holistic assessment of symptoms and needs.
At Priscilla Bacon Lodge, (PBL), specialist inpatient service, NCH&C provides care for people who have complex palliative care needs including physical, emotional, social and/or spiritual needs.
A patient is referred to PBL for an admission when their needs can no longer be managed at home and they require short-term, intensive 24-hour support from a team of specialist palliative multi-disciplinary care team made up of nurses, doctors, health care assistants, and therapists. The team can provide help with complex uncontrolled symptoms, palliative rehabilitation, and/or complex psycho-social problems.
During an admission, the team works closely with patients and their families to identify and achieve therapeutic goals based on individual needs and circumstances. This intensive support can then enable a person to return home either with or without additional care support or onto a longer-term care facility.
Some patients are also admitted to PBL in the final weeks of life when they require intensive specialist palliative care support and they have identified PBL as their preferred place to receive end-of-life care.
An important part of NCH&C’s palliative team is the experienced counselling team. They have specialist skills to help people cope with the emotions and changes faced during illness, end of life care, and bereavement. The team cannot take the pain of loss and uncertainty, but they can help you to feel less isolated. Gradually touching on the painful feelings can get easier in time when accompanied by another person. The service therefore offers a private space where individuals and families can:
- Talk about the meaning of illness, diagnosis, treatment, and death and dying.
- Reflect upon the impact that this is having on their lives.
- Help with conversations that the patient and their family may be struggling with at home.
The aim is to help patients and their families to understand the situation, allow them to tell their story, learn ways of supporting themselves with thoughts and emotions and find alternative ways of coping.
Often the work is delivered to the whole family unit recognising the impact that illness and uncertainty have on how families work together. This includes supporting parents who would like support to talk to children and young people about illness and dying.
The Specialist Wellbeing Centre utilises a range of therapeutic approaches and techniques to make decisions about ways to help including Systemic Family Therapy, Child Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Adult Integrative Psychotherapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Music Therapy.
It is usual to experience many complex feelings, concerns, and questions when you, or someone you know, is experiencing a life-limiting or life-shortening condition. The Chaplaincy team at Priscilla Bacon Lodge is led by a full-time Chaplain and supported by Honorary Chaplains and Volunteers. You can find the Chaplaincy team in the office adjacent to the Chapel. The Chapel is a sanctuary where people of any or no faith can find a space to reflect or seek support.
You do not have to be religious to speak with a Chaplain, however if faith is important to you, a member of the Chaplaincy team can help you find meaning in this and practice according to your tradition. The Chapel contains books and resources for many world faiths. Services and events to celebrate the year are held most weeks.
The Chaplaincy team, which works across all NCH&C’s community hospitals, offer pastoral, spiritual and religious care, and can also support you if you wish to mark life’s events, such as baptism, marriage, blessing, remembrance, or to receive sacramental care or prayer ministry. Regular Acts and Services of Remembrance are hosted by the Chaplaincy team to enable you to reflect with thanksgiving upon the lives of those you have lost.
You can contact the Chaplaincy team on 01603 776633 or chaplain@nchc.nhs.uk
The Volunteer service has been an integral and important contribution to the care given by Priscilla Bacon Lodge for over 35 years, supporting the dedicated staff and enhancing the care and experience patients, families and visitors receive.
Volunteers carry out a variety of roles in many areas, both patient facing and behind the scenes, including The Inpatient Unit, administration, Patient Feedback, Volunteer Drivers and Reception Meet and Greet.
Volunteering for Norfolk Community Health and Care at Priscilla Bacon Lodge is a great way to make a difference to those using our services, whilst also providing challenging and rewarding opportunities to learn new skills and to put existing ones to good use within a supportive and stimulating environment.
Voluntary Services Contact details are: 01603 776644 catherine.wilson@nchc.nhs.uk
