Home palliative care just now

[Pixel77]

Please can you tell me is this still taking place at the moment?

Hospital has discharged home with his elderly wife an end of care patent with no follow up support. Many thanks

My DH has been having home palliative care since March which is ongoing in theory (he's currently in a hospice). The care in our area was arranged via a nurse from the hospice who works in the community. However it is all very complicated with multiple agencies involved. The hospice nurse is there for advice and co-ordination; Continuing Health Care arranges for carers if you are eligible, and community nurses do day-to-day nursing care. I would think his GP is the first port of call for arrangements if the hospital has not passed him on to the palliative care team.

OK thanks, hope all goes OK for you. Seems here something about district nurses being involved. I'll see.

Outrageous that they were allowed to discharge without a care package. They should have been entitled to six weeks free care - a step down package - to allow other assessments to take place, but yes, palliative care is working in the community. Mum-in-law is currently at home, with a few weeks left to live. Agree with the pp. Multiple agencies involved, and they don't talk to each other very often:

GP did the CHC referral - fast-track if you are in the last 12 weeks or so, to release funding for carers - and at the end of the phone for us to contact as new medicines (eg just asked for light sedatives for agitation/hallucinations);
Palliative/end of life team based in a hospice phone up weekly, but don't do much;
District nurse was phoning weekly, but now visiting weekly and great for accessing equipment - has sent us a hospital bed, matress and commode. We also requested a safety frame for the toilet which she was able to order for us;
Carers attending twice daily to assist with washing/dressing/ undressing;
Macmillan helpline (phone line) useful too.

HTH