We recognise that most patients want to be at home as much as possible during an illness.
We also recognise the stresses and strains that illness puts upon family life at home.
We are committed to the Hospice team going beyond the walls of the Hospice to support you in your own home and many of our staff visit the home – this includes our doctors, supportive care team, our therapists and our home volunteer team.
We also have a highly trained team of St Francis Specialist Nurses. This is a team of six nurses who will get to know you and support you, often for a long period during a serious illness.
Your allocated nurse will visit or telephone you regularly, keep an eye on how you are doing and help to address some of the serious physical and emotional problems that illness poses.
The nurse will also provide you with information and refer you to other services that may help.
My chief contact is Sally whose wonderful help I can't begin to describe. I just thank God continually for the difference she has made to us all (the family appreciate her too!) and I look forward to her visits with real hope and enthusiasm.Patient, August 2008
The St Francis Specialist Nurse Team works closely with GPs, District Nurses and other health care professionals.
They are based at The Hospice of St Francis and are on call 24 hours a day.