Much loved St Helena hospice extends care

St Helena Hospice, which cares for people from across north Essex with life-limiting illneses, has recruited four more healthcare assistants to the hospice in the home team, meaning the virtual ward can now support more people in their own homes.

Funding for the extra staff has come from the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust, which has hospitals and community services across north Essex and in Ipswich.

Run alongside Bluebird Care Colchester and Tendring, St Helena Hospice provides personal care free of charge for those thought to be in their last 12 weeks of life, visiting the patient up to four times each day in their own home.

Previously, St Helena Hospice supported patients for a total of six weeks.

Healthcare assistants also help the families of patients by offering bereavement support, regardless of the cause of death or when or where the individual has died.

Although healthcare assistants are in daily contact with specialist nurses and a rapid response team, the virtual ward at St Helena can help avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital, as well as ease pressures for hospital discharges by ensuring people can return home with care in place.

The virtual ward clinical nurse manager at St Helena, Becky Rix explained how the service can make a difference to people’s lives in their final days by allowing them to remain at home with their family.

She said: “If someone’s personal preference is to be at home to die, Virtual Ward gives them that choice to remain at home with dignity.

“Having a professional coming into the home on a regular basis means someone is there keeping an eye on the patient and giving support to the person caring for them too.

“They know the healthcare assistants are attached to St Helena and can report any changes, concerns or pain to our specialist nurses.”

Anyone in need of St Helena Hospice service dan refer themselves for support via www.sthelena.org.uk/referrals or calling SinglePoint on 01206 890 360.