Hospice at Home

What to expect as a patient

We deliver short term care and support of approximately two weeks within the community. Assessments of each individual's needs are completed at the start of our care period, with reviews and ongoing referrals for support and continued care as needed. These will be discussed on an individual basis and completed prior to any changes.

Our community teams

We have specialist Doctors, Pharmacists, Psychological and Wellbeing Services, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists who we liaise with regarding the care and support of our patients, families and carers in the community.

We also work alongside a skilled multidisciplinary team (MDT) of healthcare professionals of wider community colleagues (Integrated Community Teams or ICTs) with a shared aim to provide the highest level of support and coordinated care possible, as well as GPs, Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists, Community Nurses and other community services.

Our focus and aims

• Enabling choice
• Quality of life for individuals
• Supporting peoples' wishes to remain at home
• Planning and involving all parties in an individualised care plan
• Providing support for families and carers
• Supporting in the prevention of avoidable and unwanted hospital admissions
• Supporting after discharge home
• Completing onward referrals to ensure a plan of care is in place.

24-hour advice line

For patients, carers and healthcare professionals, our 24-hour advice line gives direct access to nurses with experience in palliative care who can offer advice and support or guide you to other appropriate agencies. If medical advice is needed, our nurses can speak to our team of doctors.

You do not need to be referred to our services to be able to use this advice line. The Specialist Palliative Care advice line provides 24 hour advice, 365 days per year on 01462 416794.

Continuing Health Care (CHC)

The team may provide up to three months of home-based palliative care via the Continuing Health Care (CHC FastTrack) service. Patients are referred to the CHC team by their key worker.

Once assessed and agreed, CHC may refer to the Garden House Hospice Care team to request this care. This is a 12-week service. Regular reviews and ongoing referrals are made as needed during or at the end of this period.

How to refer

Referrals can be made by healthcare professionals through the North Herts Palliative Care Referrals Centre (NPCRC) who can be contacted on 0300 123 7571. If you would like further information about our Hospice at Home services or to speak to member of the team, please call us on 01462 679540.