"Arthur Rank House Specialist Palliative Care Services"

A review of Arthur Rank House by Kirsty Turner written on Thursday 6th of May 2010

Arthur Rank House Specialist Palliative Care Services, Mill Road, Cambridge

“making every moment count”

Arthur Rank House Services provide specialist palliative care inpatient, outpatient, day therapy and domiciliary therapy for Cambridgeshire patients from the City, South and East areas.

• Palliative care provides physical, psychological, spiritual and social care for patients with advanced incurable disease of any aetiology.

• Generalist palliative care in the community is provided by primary healthcare teams (GPs, district nurses etc) and integrated care teams (including social care) with access to specialist palliative care as required. Care is also provided for the carers and families of the patient.

• Specialist palliative care is required where there are complex needs of any sort, and may be required at different times throughout the trajectory of the disease.

Specialist palliative care services can be accessed via referral to Arthur Rank House, by telephone 01223 723130 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm); by fax to 01223 723131. General enquiries or discussion with professional colleagues 24-hours day/7-days a week can be obtained via 01223 723110.

Services provided via Arthur Rank House:

• Symptom assessment and management

• Rehabilitation

• Complex terminal care

• Bereavement care

All services at Arthur Rank House are delivered by the multidisciplinary team including medical, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, complementary therapy, creative therapy, chaplaincy, psychological therapy and nursing (Macmillan nurses and hands-on nurses) members, supported by admin staff.

Domiciliary specialist palliative care (Hospice at Home Service)

The team carry out holistic assessment and treatment of the patient and carer in their own home, where indicated, or in a clinic setting if more appropriate. Patients remain “on caseload” whilst their specialist needs are being addressed, they are then referred back to their GP for ongoing care. Patients with complex physical needs may receive ‘hands-on’ nursing by arrangement.

Day therapy: Holistic assessment is carried out to identify patients who will benefit from a therapeutic programme working with members of the multidisciplinary team. Patients attend 1 day per week for a period of between 6-12 weeks to address the specialist needs identified via assessment.

Inpatient unit: Currently there are 12 beds commissioned by NHS Cambridgeshire. The team provide assessment and management of complex symptoms, rehabilitation, and when appropriate terminal care. Average length of stay is 12 days, patients whose condition stabilises who no longer require specialist palliative care will be transferred to an appropriate care environment where their needs can be met, which may be their own home with additional support, a residential home or nursing home setting.

Outpatients: Specialist Palliative Care clinics include: medical, specialist nursing, physiotherapy, psychological therapy, complementary therapy, lymphoedema, complex pain management, and bereavement support. Additional clinics for breathlessness management and fatigue management are incorporated into the day therapy setting.

Education on all aspects of specialist palliative care is accessible via our Education Department on 01223 723003.

If you wish to ask details about any of the above services, or to speak to professional colleagues please contact reception on 01223 723110, and ask for the area or discipline you wish to speak to.

Our website can be accessed: www.arthurrankhouse.nhs.uk

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