Autumn 2009: Clinicians' newsletter
We would like to introduce you to the Community and Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Teams and take this opportunity to thank our Primary Care colleagues for their support and collaborative working.
Contents
- Community and Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Teams
- Referring to the Community Team
- Hot Topics in Palliative Medicine
- Conference
Community and Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Teams
Based throughout North, South and West Dorset we have 12 Specialist Palliative Care Nurses – the South team, including the Hospital Team, is led by Linda Morrison and the North team by Jane Pople
South Team
Mary Lem
Heather Evans
Jackie Brand
all cover Weymouth and Portland
Steve Wood
Denyse Silvester
are based in Bridport and cover West Dorset
Hospital Team
Anne Dixon
Heather Feakins
Margaret Jones
all based in Dorset County Hospital
North Team
Annette De Doncker
based in Sherborne and surrounding area
Caroline Gullis
based in Shaftesbury and Gillingham
Christine Senter
based in Blandford and surrounding area
Debbie Scrivener
based in Dorchester and surrounding area
Referring to the Community Team
The Referral Forms can be downloaded from our website and can be sent electronically. To email referrals please encrypt them first then send to karen.arnold@weld-hospice.org.uk
We accept referrals for any patients with advanced progressive disease when the care needs are over and above those met by the patient’s primary healthcare team or hospital team. Patients must be aware of and agree to the referral. If a patient lacks capacity to consent, referrals must be judged to be in their best interests.
Referrals are triaged by our lead nurses and it helps to have as much information on the referral form as possible – we welcome discussion before referral – our phone no is 01305 215350. The CNS team also offer a 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday service and can be contacted on 07713 511832.
Hot Topics in Palliative Medicine
"Patients with terminal illnesses are being made to die prematurely under an NHS scheme, the LCP"
Telegraph 3 September 09
Responses to some misconceptions from the LCP Central Team Statement
13 October 2009
- The Liverpool Care Pathway Framework is a major initiative to improve care of the dying within healthcare. It is an integrated care pathway whose purpose is to transfer the key principles of the hospice model into general healthcare settings.
- 60% of people die in hospitals in this country. Doctors and nurses rarely receive training in care of the dying as part of their initial training.
- When a patient is dying they generally eat and drink less – this is part of the normal physiological process of dying. Food and drink is provided to dying patients at their request and is not withdrawn within the LCP Framework.
- Recognition of dying requires a review of the current situation and current care, treatment and interventions – it does not automatically lead to withdrawal of treatment
- The patient’s condition should be continually monitored. Around 3% of cases improve and come off the pathway
- The LCP ensures beneficial treatments are continued to be given to the patient.
- The LCP does not endorse continuous deep sedation
‘The LCP is helping clinicians do a better job, but tools are only as good as the workman. Misuse means bad care.’
Dr Rob George, Consultant in Palliative Care
Since 2007, Version 12 of the LCP has been under development and will be launched at the end of November. Specific areas which have been strengthened include:
- Decision making support for starting the LCP
- Rewording of some goals to ensure that they are outcome focused
- Introduction of new goals regarding artificial nutrition and hydration
- Simplification of the Care After Death section
Dr Karen Steadman, Acting Medical Director
Conference
This year on 17 September 2009 the Trust held its 19th annual medical conference at Kingston Maurward. The very first conference was about breast cancer so this year we felt it was time to revisit the subject. The conference was entitled ‘Keeping Abreast’ and was a review of the developments over the last nineteen years in breast cancer treatment and palliative care for patients with breast cancer.
The conference covered subjects as diverse as chemotherapies, breast surgery and reconstruction, lymphoedema, genetics, special problems faced in palliative care by patients and the patients’ point of view. As usual our speakers ranged from local talent to those used to speaking on the international stage. The presentation delivered by the Keynote Speaker, Dr Tamas Hickish, is available to download as a PDF (273kb)
There were over 80 delegates and a good mix of nurses, doctors and professions allied to medicine. This has encouraged us to look forward to next year and our 20th Conference. This will take place at Kingston Maurward on 16 September 2010. The subject is yet to be confirmed but put the date in your diary now and keep a look out for the topic and programme. For details of other courses run by Weldmar Hospicecare Trust go to our education page on this website.
Mary Pay, Lead Education Facilitator
