Your Specialist Palliative Care Team
What does the team do?
The team aims to improve the quality of life for patients facing a life-limiting illness and to offer support to their family and carers. They focus on the management of pain and other distressing symptoms, help with planning for the future, as well as providing social, emotional and spiritual support.
The team work closely with other health and social care professionals in the hospital such as doctors, dietitians, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
Who is in the team?
All the members of the Specialist Palliative Care team meet once a week at a multidisciplinary team meeting to share and review information, providing they have the patient’s permission to do so.
Specialist nurses
Our specialist palliative care nurses are Anne Dixon, Jane Pople, Wendy George and Terri White.
They will spend time listening to the patient and their carers and will discuss specific problems. They will also offer specialist advice and guidance to the doctors, nurses and other health and social care professionals involved in a patient’s care.
Doctors
Dr Rachel Thorp is the Consultant in Palliative Medicine based at Dorset County Hospital. She is part time and is supported by Dr Sandra Pepper, a part time Speciality Doctor in Palliative Medicine. The doctors provide expert medical assessment and can advise and support the care of patients and their families or carers. They both also work at Joseph Weld Hospice and link closely with the multi-disciplinary team there.
Social worker
The social worker will assist with personal, emotional and social issues, including the planning of ongoing care and applying for benefits.
Hospital chaplain
The hospital chaplain is able to offer support to patients and their carers – whether or not they have a particular faith. It is also possible for them to make contact with other faith communities.
Useful contacts
We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions or are worried about anything, the team can be contacted as follows:
Specialist nurse office – 01305 255752 or via the hospital switchboard – 01305 251150
Doctors – please contact via the nurses telephone number as above
Social workers – 01305 255356
Hospital chaplain – 01305 255198
About this leaflet
Authors: Anne Dixon, Palliative Care Specialist Nurse
Written: February 2019
Approved: April 2019
Review date: April 2022
Edition: v1
If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk