Who we are
We are a team of community based children’s nurses, nurse associates, health care assistants, play specialist and administrators lead by a Palliative and Complex Care Practitioner working alongside the child and families’ wider health, social and voluntary support network.
Our work
We offer holistic care to babies, children and young people on a palliative care pathway, by working alongside other health and social care professionals and voluntary organisations. We do the following:
- Holistically assess the needs of children and families and, together with parents to produce a joint plan of care.
- Reduce or prevent hospital attendances or admissions by providing a skilled paediatric nursing service.
- Enable and empower parents to look after their child in the most suitable environment with our support.
- Act as family advocates and network on behalf of children and families.
- Work in partnership with families to ensure a co-ordinated approach to family-centred care throughout their child’s life.
- Deliver 24/7 on-call advice, upon referral, for families of children at the end of life.
- Provide signposting to bereavement support, if this is wished by a family
The care given will be guided by the wishes of the individual child/young person and their family, whether in the children’s hospice, acute setting or in the community.
Availability
The team operate 7 days a week from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
There is an 24/7 on call service for children at the end of their life.
A decision when the 24/7 on call service is made between the family and health professionals. If access to the on call service is agreed, the on call service contact details are shared with a family.
Referrals
Referrals are accepted from GPs, hospital consultants and other healthcare professionals; please see our referrals page.