This service provides specialist palliative care advice and support on the basis of need, regardless of the patient’s diagnosis. This is facilitated through symptom control, psychological, social and spiritual support, referring on to other professionals or services where appropriate. This is available either by face to face contact or by telephone advice.
Referrals are accepted from the hospital team managing the patient and should be requested by using the ICE system.
Service is available Monday to Friday 08.00-18.00 based within the Macmillan Unit.
Out of hours advice is available including weekends from the palliative care advice line based at Keech Hospice; this includes telephone advice and face to face assessment.
Although on the 19 July 2021 regulations around the use of facemasks / coverings and social distancing will change across the country, at Bedfordshire Hospitals all COVID infection prevention control measures currently in place will remain the same.
The Trust has decided it is currently not safe to lift all restrictions at our hospitals.
Everyone attending our sites will still be required to wear a facemask (unless medically exempt), adhere to social distancing and attend your appointments alone especially in our Emergency Departments and Outpatients (exclusions apply to our paediatric patients and those requiring carer support)
Visiting is now permitted on most of our adult inpatient wards in a controlled manner. Appointments need to be pre-booked with ward staff.
Full details about attending our hospitals and visiting is available here.
