Your Locality - Leeds Palliative Care

Robert Ogden Centre, St James’ University Hospital, Leeds, LS9 7TF, Tel: 0113 2064563

Old Nurses Home, Leeds General Infirmary, LS1 3EX, Tel: 0113 3923483

What does this service provide for palliative care patients and their carers?

One team which has offices on both the main Trust sites offering specialist palliative care advice and input for inpatients and their families in the Leeds Teaching Hospitals. This is done by a team of nurses and doctors with the help of social work, pharmacy and other colleagues when needed.

We work with the ward doctors and nurses to promote physical comfort (such as treatment for pain or sickness), decision-making about future treatment, emotional, social or spiritual concerns.

We can also discuss your choices for types of future treatment and care and refer you to other professionals who will continue your care in hospital, home, care home or a hospice.

How do patients and carers access this service?

You need to be referred by a doctor or nurse on the ward where you are having treatment.

What postcode areas does this service cover?

Covers all inpatients - home address does not matter.

A directory of the services available in Leeds can be found here. This directory includes information and contact details for the services offered by the specialist teams, respite care, non-cancer organisations and bereavement support.

329 Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds, LS17 6QD, Tel: 0113 218 5500

What does this service provide for palliative care patients and their carers?

St Gemma’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care for people with life threatening illness and support for their families and carers. Care is provided via the In-Patient Unit, Day Services and community team. Services provided include symptom management, psycho-spiritual care, rehabilitation, terminal care and bereavement support.

How do patients and carers access this service?

Referral to St Gemma’s Service is via a patient’s GP, District Nurse, Hospital Palliative Care Team or Hospital Specialist Nurse. A signed referral form from a health care professional is required. GP consent is required for patients to be seen in their own home.

What postcode areas does this service cover?

St Gemma’s Hospice provides a service to the east of the city of Leeds. Postcode areas include: LS22, LS23, LS15, LS6-9, LS25, WF10, WF3, LS10-11, LS26, LS14-15, LS17.

110, Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8DT, Tel: 0113 247 8924

What does this service provide for palliative care patients and their carers?

Leeds Adult Social Care operates from a variety of sites across the city, both in the community and within the hospitals. Social Workers assess the care and support needs of individuals and families, and seek to promote involved decision-making and partnership with service-users to find solutions to practical problems, often relating to social isolation, economic deprivation and ability to self-care.

An Oncology Team is based at St James’s Hospital where specialist workers with training and experience of working in palliative care can offer patients and their families financial, welfare benefits and legal advice, and facilitate meetings to plan discharge from hospital and / or set up care packages. Other areas include promoting and enabling informed and meaningful communication between patient and family, and offering direct support to patients and carers to explore the emotional and psychological implications of the illness.

How do patients and carers access this service?

Most are referred to the Oncology Team by nurses when people are in hospital or attending out-patient clinics and are requesting social work help. People at home, or their carers, can phone the Leeds City Council Call Centre, “Contact Leeds”, on 0845-125-4113, and requests for help will be passed to Initial Response Teams in the community for signposting or assessment.

What postcode areas does this service cover?

All Leeds residents can access social care assessments. The specialist hospital-based social work service is also available to non-Leeds people who are being treated in Leeds hospitals.

Sue Ryder Care Wheatfields Hospice, Grove Rd, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 2AE, Tel: 0113 278 7249

What does this service provide for palliative care patients and their carers?

Wheatfields Hospice provides specialist palliative care for adults with life threatening illness and support for their families and carers. Care is available to people of all religions, cultures and social backgrounds. Wheatfields has an in-patient unit, day services and community team. Care includes symptom management, psycho-spiritual care, rehabilitation, terminal care and bereavement support.

How do patients and carers access this service?

Referral to Wheatfields service is via a patient’s GP, district nurse, hospital palliative care team or hospital specialist nurse. A signed referral form from a healthcare professional is required. GP consent is needed for patients to be seen in their own home.

What postcode areas does this service cover?

Wheatfields hospice provides a service to the west part of Leeds. The following postcodes can access our services: LS4, LS5, LS6, LS11, LS12, LS13, LS16, LS18, LS19, LS20, LS21, LS27, LS28, LS29, BD11 & WF3.

Please note; people living within the BD11 and WF3 postal codes please check with your GP if you fall into the Wheatfields catchment area.

Springhill, Unit 41 Business Park, Brindley Way, Wakefield, WF2 0XQ, Tel: 0845 124 1241

What does this service provide for palliative care patients and their carers?

The Palliative Care Ambulance Service is a flexible and responsive service dedicated to the transportation of patients with palliative care needs, covering the city of Leeds. It is operated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and funded, for 2 years, by Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme. This programme aims to achieve better planning, choice and co-ordination of services for palliative care patients, thereby enabling more patients to be cared for and die in the place of their choice.

The service operates 7 days / week, including weekends and bank holidays, between 09:00 and 19:00. It is staffed by Patient Transport Services, who have received additional training in caring for patients with palliative care needs.

The ambulance has been designed around comfort and relaxation, with the aim of reducing the ‘clinical’ look. Features include a pressure-relieving mattress, reclining chair, DVD / TV and space for friends / family to travel with.

There are 2 main categories of transport:

Category 1: end of life transport to preferred place of care
Category 2: urgent transfer for palliative care treatment

Criteria for referral:

The patient is 18 years or over
The patient is registered with a Leeds GP
The patient has a valid do not attempt resuscitation order (if appropriate)
The patient is near the end of life or is a palliative patient with complex needs unable to travel in private transport

How do patients and carers access this service?

Healthcare professionals can refer patients to the service by calling a dedicated phone line: 01924 584 975.

Bookings are accepted ‘on-day’ and up to 24 hours in advance of travel.

Bookings can be taken for the service between 08:00 – 17:00 hours daily.

Which postcode areas does this service cover?

The service is available to patients who are registered with a Leeds GP.

The district nursing teams in Leeds provide a 24 hour service to patients in the community and spend a significant amount of their time caring for patients who have a palliative condition and supporting their family/carers. The teams are led by a qualified District Nurse, who has undergone specialist training in caring for patients at home, supported by registered nurses (staff nurses) and healthcare support workers. The teams also have access to the CAPCCS (Complex and Palliative Continuing Care service) team who will support the district nurses to care for patients who wish to be cared for at home towards the End of Life.

District nurses can be contacted at the Health Centres below during normal working hours, currently 8.30am – 5pm. Your GP can also refer through to the district nurses on your behalf. Referrals are also received from local hospitals, hospices, social services, voluntary sector organisations and carers. Outside of normal working hours, district nurses can be contacted via Local Care Direct