Contacts
Contact:
Lynda Chatfield
Deputy Director Community Services
Organisation:
St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice
Heron Drive Bishops Hull Taunton TA1 5HA United Kingdom
Tel:
01823 345917
Case study:
11 May 2010
Palliative Care Partnership in Somerset
Key points
- Somerset Palliative Care Partnership offers specialist palliative care and support to those wishing to spend their last days at home
- The scheme has been so successful it has been extended across the county and is now being re-launched as a PCT-commissioned service.
The Somerset Palliative Care Partnership is providing additional specialist palliative care and support for patients who wish to be at home in the last days of their life.
The service started out as a New Opportunities-funded hospice at home project in the Somerset Coast area in 2003.
Because of its success it was extended to become a countywide service in January 2005, involving a partnership between PCTs, Marie Curie Cancer Care and St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice.
In July 2006, after a successful first 18 months, the service was re-launched as a PCT-commissioned service.
The service offers shifts of between three and nine hours provided by specially trained healthcare assistants.
In practice this averages out at around five shifts in total per patient.In the more complex cases the assistants work with other providers from NHS, social services or care agencies.
A prioritisation tool helps to ensure referrals are dealt with according to need.
It is staffed by 10 whole time equivalent healthcare assistants, employed by both St Margaret’s Hospice and Marie Curie Cancer Care, supported by one full-time administrator and booking officer alongside clinical and managerial leadership.
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