Palliative Care
Palliative Care is support and treatment when cancer cannot be cured.
It is different to End of Life Care; for which there is a separate section on this website - End of Life page.
Your Oncology team (your nurse specialist/ key-worker, and consultant) will be the people that will talk to you and let you know when you will be offered palliative care and explain what that means for you.
Palliative care
Because your cancer is not curable with treatment, the aim of any further support or care is to manage symptoms and, as much as possible, to slow down the progression of the disease.
A palliative care diagnosis?
Palliative care is about managing symptoms not about curing the cancer. Palliative care can be given over days, weeks or years.
For some people the cancer can be controlled for some time, and the symptoms can be managed, allowing someone to continue a good quality of life. For others it can be hard to keep on top of the symptoms caused by the cancer and this may mean they need to be admitted to the hospital or referred for support from the hospice to get on top of the symptoms.
Palliative Care Team
The Palliative Care Team is here to support anyone within the hospital who has been told their condition is no longer curable and need palliative care or end of life care.
If your care and support is to be continued in the community or at home they will refer you to the Community Palliative Care Team who will be your point of contact for any support and advice.
If you are an in-patient at the hospital, the Palliative Care Team will liaise with your consultant and nurse specialist to ensure you receive the best care and support.
For further information, please refer to these websites:
Colchester Hospital Palliative Care team, Tel: 01206 746272
Hospice in the Home | St Helena Hospice
Singlepoint
Also provided by the Community Palliative Care Team is a 24 hour advice line “Singlepoint”. Advice is given by experienced nurses to those who are ill, their families and those who provide care for those living in North East Essex with a life limiting and progressive illness.
SinglePoint and Virtual Ward (24 hour advice), Tel: 01206 890360
Support from St Helena Hospice
The Hospice can help you manage physical and emotional symptoms following a diagnosis of cancer that cannot be cured. The Hospice team are there to support you, your family and carers.
If you are referred to the Hospice, the team will assess your needs and talk to you and your family about the options available to you. A plan of care will be agreed which is based on your needs, not your diagnosis, and will address your physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional needs.
Where appropriate, the aim is to support you to stay at home, and live as full a life as possible in familiar surroundings.
The hospice can provide a wide range of services such as a 24-hour advice line (see above), occupational therapy, counselling, courses for carers and in-patient end of life care. For more information on these, and all other services available, please refer to the hospice website – see links below.
Website: St Helena Hospice
St Helena Hospice, General enquiries Tel: 01206 845566
Family support service - provides emotional support for children, young people and families living with a family member with progressive illness.
Support for family and friends
For family and friends, we have a dedicated section on this website to enable you to get the support you need - Carers Support page.