We admit patients in order to attend to difficult symptoms such as pain, nausea or fatigue. We also admit patients who need to be in the Hospice because not enough care can be given at home, or as a positive choice if patients want to keep illness away from the home setting.
Once mum had been admitted into your care you managed what others had failed - your immediate control of pain and nausea gave her those precious last few weeks. To see our special mum sitting up, drinking, eating, smiling, sleeping, planning, engaged in the world again - those memories are priceless.Daughter of patient, July 2004
Many patients choose to spend their final days in the Hospice rather than at home – this might be for a variety of reasons.
However, for many patients, all that is needed is a short admission to the Hospice for particular issues to be addressed and then we carefully plan their discharge home.
I don't know how to thank you properly for all the wonderful care, the love and kindness, the peace and gentleness, and the humour which have restored me. I am doing so well and feel a different person from the one who came to you first.Patient, June 2007
Some patients come in simply because their family is exhausted with providing care
and need some time to rest and re-energise before continuing to be carers.
Patients are referred for admission to our beds by their Healthcare Teams. This might be the District Nurse or GP, their palliative care nurse (e.g. St Francis, Macmillan, or Iain Rennie Nurse) or sometimes patients are referred directly from hospital.