Specialist Palliative Care - 24 Hour Advice Line

Nurses, doctors and other professionals may occasionally need advice or guidance to help them in their care of a patient with palliative care needs.

Whether you work in the community, hospital or a care home you can access telephone advice 24 hours a day, every day, from Kirkwood Hospice's specialist nursing and medical team. The team can help with a variety of problems, such as:

• How to manage uncontrolled pain and other symptoms like nausea, vomiting and terminal restlessness.
• How to convert from oral to subcutaneous doses of analgesia.
• Whether a syringe driver may be required.
• How to support distressed family members.
   

In most cases the nurses working on the in-patient unit will be able to help you. If the problem requires medical advice they will liase with the doctor on duty in the hospice or on-call. A member of the hospice team will follow up all advice calls. To access advice, call Kirkwood Hospice on 01484 557900 anytime, day or night.

Ask to be put through to the Palliative Care Team (Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm) or to the bed area (at any other time).