The Community Team
The Community Team cares for patients with a life-limiting illness who require specialist palliative care. Patients are referred by a healthcare professional and we aim to contact patients within seven working days of receiving the referral.
The team consists of:
- Social workers – to support with emotional and psychological distress, issues with young families and also financial concerns.
- Occupational therapists – to support with managing fatigue and breathlessness and some equipment needs to support you being able to stay at home.
- Physiotherapist – to support with maintaining mobility and assisting with respiratory issues
- Clinical nurse specialists – to support with complex symptom management problems, emotional support, support with accessing the right care and signposting to other community services that can help you.
- Medical consultants
- Music therapist
- Complementary therapists – who provide therapies such as massage, aromatherapy and reflexology
- Spiritual care advisor
- Administrators
The whole team work alongside their NHS colleagues, GPs, NHS community nursing teams, Rapid Response, Integrated Care Team, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and community care agencies. Hospice care is not part of the statutory services – it is an add on to your normal healthcare provision. When Rowcroft is involved, the other teams will continue to see you and support you. However, we can provide that specialist palliative care knowledge to you and the other teams if needed.
Each Rowcroft team member carries a caseload of patients and will call you to book an appointment for an initial assessment, this could be in your home or at the Outpatient Centre here at Rowcroft. During this visit, they will talk to you about what your issues are and how we as a hospice can support you. This may be suggesting equipment, different medication and/or a referral to a different team within the hospice. The focus will be on your specific needs and ensuring that you can stay at home if that is your wish.
If you haven’t yet been in touch with Rowcroft’s Community Team, please visit our Referrals page, or ask your GP or consultant about us.
