A ground-breaking helpline for nursing home patients needing palliative care has been introduced thanks to a North Wales hospice.
It is hoped that the scheme will have widespread benefits including a reduction in the number of people being taken to the A & E department and being admitted to Glan Clwyd Hospital.
It was with that in mind that senior medics at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board approached St Kentigern Hospice and Palliative Care Centre in St Asaph some months ago about the possibility of establishing an advice line for nursing homes in the area.
Dinah Hickish, the hospice’s advanced nurse practitioner, immediately saw the advantages of such a service not only for the hospital but also for staff at the homes who did not have the specialist knowledge of palliative care as the hospice’s nurses.
Talks were held with members of Care Forum Wales, the independent body which has represents over 500 home owners throughout Wales, and details of the scheme were drawn up.
The result is that nursing home staff on duty at night and at weekends will be able to call a designated number at the hospice for advice on palliative care for residents.
“Until now nursing home staff have had to call the out-of-hours doctor service but they could take some time to arrive and even those doctors might not have the specialist knowledge and training which our nurses have,” said Dinah.
It is a pilot scheme which will be assessed after six months but to date 20 homes have signed up.
“The area covered by the hospice has the highest density of care homes in Wales but some of those involved come from outside our normal catchment area as well,” said Dinah.
The homes have been given cards with details of the dedicated phone line and the calls will be answered by one of two trained staff on duty at the hospice between 5.30pm and 7am or at weekends.
“We don’t know how much use will be made of the service but if it is very well used then this will highlight an important need,” said Dinah.
Ian Bellingham, chief executive of the eight-bed Hospice, said: “This a really good example of collaboration and partnership working, and something which we have had in mind for some time.”
That view was endorsed by Mario Kreft, chairman of Care Forum Wales, who has urged members to sign up to the scheme.
“We fully support projects like this which are relatively simple and yet can have a huge impact on those involved, and we have spent 20 years promoting the concept partnership working,” he said.
“There is a lot to be gained from using the independent sector in a more thoughtful way, and having specialist advice on palliative care available could mean some very sick people not having to endure an ambulance journey to hospital.
“That will then ease pressures on the hospital services.
This scheme we would hope will be taken up by all nursing homes.” He added.
Dr. Caroline Usborne, Clinical Director in Palliative Care at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: “This is clearly an initiative that will help support the delivery of palliative care in the community and reflects the close partnership working here in North Wales between the Health Board and Voluntary sector to promote high quality palliative care for all patients.”
