Referrals for symptom management for life-limiting conditions

Our clinical care is provided at home, across the community, at our hospice building and when needed, in our Inpatient Unit. We work alongside other health professionals to ensure that each person and their family receive the right support at the right time.

A guide to referrals

Who can be referred

Anyone over the age of 18 who has a life-limiting illness which requires the support of a specialist palliative care team to achieve control of symptoms.

People can benefit from specialist palliative care when:

Symptoms are becoming harder to manage
Advance care planning discussions are helpful
Additional support is needed at home
More intensive care is needed at the end of life

Who can make a referral

Referrals can be made by Health and Social Care Professionals, people living with a life-limiting illness and/or their families and carers.

If we receive a self-referral or a referral from a family member or carer, we may contact the GP or another healthcare professional to ensure the right information is available for care planning.

What can we offer patients

Referrals can be made for support at home, in the community or the Inpatient Unit. The team most suited to the patient’s needs will lead on their care.

A period of care and support could include:

Help with managing symptoms
Additional support at home
Advance care planning
End of life care

Patients and their families and carers who have made a referral to the specialist palliative care team, may also receive Psychological and Wellbeing Support (There is no need to make a separate referral to this team to access this support.)

Support may include:

Physio and Occupational therapy
Psychological, emotional and spiritual support
Social and welfare support
Peer support and social groups and activities

What we cannot offer (TBC)

Long term respite care
Long-term Inpatient care
Long-term weekly day care
Chronic pain management

How we respond to a referral

Once a referral is received, our referral team will review the information to decide how we can best support the person. We may contact the person with the life-limiting condition, family/carer, or referrer for more details. We then agree the most suitable care, either at home, in the community or in our specialist Inpatient Unit.

We work closely with GPs, district nurses, hospital teams and other professionals to make sure care is coordinated and centred on the individual needs

Ending and restarting a period of care

Patients who are stable and who have completed their planned care interventions are reviewed by the multi-disciplinary team involved and may be discharged from our services. Patients, carers and professionals can activate a new period of care by XXXXX

Farleigh Hospice offers a wide range of Psychological and Wellbeing Support that is open to people aged 18 and over who are living with a life-limiting condition and their families and carers.