“My mum chose to join the craft group when she was first diagnosed with cancer. St Rocco’s ignited the fire in my mum and gave her the chance to live again.” (Patient’s daughter)

As soon as someone is referred, they become part of the St Rocco’s family.  Referrals can be made by patients, GPs, health professionals and community teams.  Working with community and hospital teams, a personalised plan is put in place and patients can access a range of services and support, not necessarily just for the reason they have been referred.

Early referral to the palliative care hub provides early opportunities to support patients and those important to them and means that the team can understand their journey and provide tools to help them along the way.  This could include counselling, physiotherapy, pain management and relaxation to name a few.

Lots of patients prefer to stay at home during their treatment.  St Rocco’s Hospice at Home service supports patients to stay at home where possible.  Specialist healthcare staff will work with their GP and district nurses to support patients and families at home through night sits so they can stay in familiar surroundings.  If patients need more support, they may be treated through the virtual ward.  Patients stay at home but have daily contact with a nurse at the hospice who monitors their symptoms and arranges care and therapy appointments to take place at their home.

“When my mum’s health deteriorated, she asked to go to St Rocco’s because she already loved it there.” (Patient’s daughter)

Depending on symptom management, end of life care and availability of beds, patients can choose to stay at the hospice in one of the 10 specialist bedrooms.  Here, they will receive a high standard of care in a home-from-home setting by our team of highly trained nurses, heath care assistants, specialist palliative care doctors and advanced nurse practitioners. 

“As the new ward manager, I have only worked at St Rocco’s for a couple of months, but the care and dedication which I have seen from all the staff involved on the inpatient unit is beyond exceptional.  It has been a privilege to ease and be a part of people’s palliative care journeys, whether it’s over a period of months or a few short days.” (Pippa, Ward Manager)

Contact St Rocco’s Hospice Palliative Care Hub for more information T: 0333 3661066 or visit  www.stroccos.org.uk