Community Outreach Support

Many people who are seriously ill and nearing the end of their lives prefer to be cared for at home surrounded by their family and friends. Our Outreach team help make this possible.

As well as providing end-of-life care in our inpatient unit, Bury Hospice also looks after people in the community.

Helping patients early in a life-limiting diagnosis is key to the success of the Hospice’s outreach service, which was launched as a pilot scheme back in March 2019.

Our outreach team is getting involved much earlier in a person’s diagnosis and the team spends time with patients and their families to signpost what help is available and talk through the process of their illness so they know what to expect.

Carole Langley, an outreach nurse, said: “We want to understand the needs of our patients and also support the families because quite often they are under strain and really alone. It is about empowering and supporting patients and families and educating them. We want to help people recognise and understand changes in their condition and help them know who they should contact.”

“If their choice is to remain at home, we want to support them to do that for as long as possible. We are getting involved much earlier than when the illness reaches crisis point and patients are being rushed to hospital. It is not just about palliative care, it is about living well.”

“We provide care for our patients but there are so many other things we can help with. Some people are anxious about their illness or treatment, others are worried about bills and benefits and sometimes someone is just reassured you are there.”

The service also helps patients reach other services, like complementary therapy for patients and their families. Johanna Cohen, a former inpatient nurse, runs this service, and is passionate about the difference this can make.

We have recently extended our outreach service to seven days and are implementing a night respite service in the near future, which will initially be run as a pilot scheme and will ensure more people are being supported.

At Bury Hospice we recognise patients and their families need more than medical care and we are continuing to develop our services to provide emotional, spiritual and wellbeing support too.

Referrals

Patients with any life-limiting illness who are over 18-years-old and registered with a GP in Bury
Patients for whom the current support from other services no longer meet their needs
Where appropriate, patients waiting to be admitted into the Hospice, or wishing to go home from the Hospice or hospital and are awaiting input from another care provider.

Referral Form

What do we do?

Point of contact for patients, families and carers.
Holistic assessment needs.
Personal, practical and emotional support
Short situational respite in the patient’s own home to enable carers to take a break
Signpost to other services where appropriate
Advance Care Planning