Advice please, getting a doctor out during the weekend??

[marne2]

My mums friend is dying of cancer. She was diagnosed a few months ago with liver cancer and found it had spread and any treatment would only give her a little extra time, she refused treatment so is letting nature take its course. She has just called my mum to say she can't keep anything down, not even water and she wants a doctor to come out to her, she is refusing to go to A&e, she wants to be at home. She says she doesn't feel sick so it does sound as though the cancer may have spread causing a blockage?

My mum is trying to get hold of her gp but I'm not sure if she can?

What's the chances of getting someone out to her?

Is there anyone else she can phone?

I suspect the end is near and if that's the case she just wants to be made comfortable and to remain in her own house with care from nurses and my mum and her partner.

[alem]

Phone 111. Should be able to access a GP.

[marne2]

Thank you, that's what I told them to do but I think they wanted her to go to hospital to be seen. Going to phone my mum back and see if she has been seen.

[OddBoots]

Is there a local hospice they can call? My grandpa never actually went into to hospice but the people there helped organise his care at home and then in the nursing home.

[LadySybilLikesSloeGin]

Marie Cure nurses care for patients at home. 111 should be able to send out a GP in the mean time.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Hospice and see if they can call a McMillan nurse out?

Also has she got a direct number for the oncology ward? When my dad had cancer he had a direct number so he could ring for advice and also direct admissions if needed so bypassing a&e.

[LadySybilLikesSloeGin]

Probably not a Macmillan, patients have to be referred to them via their GP/consultant/district nurse so they won't come out right away. Calling the ward is a good idea, it's highly likely they would want her to go in though.

[piggychops]

Macmillan nurses? Not sure how that works, though.
She should have access to palliative care at home, but it's not always available, which is really sad for people wishing to die at home.

[ggirl]

I am a community nurse and this is the sort of thing we would do, out of ours should be aware of palliative patients and make them a priority. An OOH GP should come out and give some meds and arrangements made for nurses to carry on giving when needed.

[marne2]

Thank you all, she has been seen by the gp at home, they suspect it maybe the cancer spreading into her stomach. She hasn't eaten for a week now so is just on liquids . Gp is going to do blood tests and some other tests to see how fast it is spreading but it's not looking good ( though we all knew this would happen ) , she has a nurse come to the house during the week and my mum and her partner do what they can ( though they both work full time ), she lives on her own and doesn't have family near by.

[LadySybilLikesSloeGin]

Oh, I'm so sorry She needs her family around her really (not saying you're all not), sooner rather than later.

[VivaLeBeaver]

If she hasn't eaten for a week just to warn you things could move downhill quite quickly. Someone needs to be pushing for her to have help in the house.

In my dads last weeks he had a night nurse provided by the nhs. Even though my step mum was there all the time. He was pretty much bed bound though.

[marne2]

She only has a brother ( she never had children ), I'm sure he will be on his way and will stay with her as much as he can. She's now keeping water down.

[kilmuir]

Has she been referred to Macmillan care team. This is type of care i did in community.

[marne2]

Yes, mum said she has a Macmillan nurse come to the house a couple times a week I think.