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Referrer Info
A Referral Form can be downloaded for offline completion here
Compton Hospice specialist palliative care team works to optimise the quality of life for patients and their families by complementing the work of other health and social care professionals and their teams who provide palliative care.
Catchment Area
The hospice provides care to patients in
Criteria for Referral
- Patients should live within the Compton Hospice catchment area
- All referrals must be made with the knowledge and expressed consent of the patient
- The patient should be over 18 years of age
- The patient has been diagnosed with a life limiting illness.
They should be experiencing one or more of the following:
- Complex physical needs, with difficulty achieving symptom control in one or more areas
- Complex psychosocial and / or spiritual needs caused by the effects of the illness on the patient, family or carer.
- Difficulties which require specialist support, unable to be provided by the Primary Health Care Team, in adjusting to one or more of the following:
- The diagnosis of advancing disease
- Disease progression
- Changes in lifestyle / role
- Impending death
- Altered body image
- Associated disabilities
- Communication problems
- Death and dying
- Loss and bereavement
Levels of support available from Compton Hospice
- Single contact with patient for specialist assessment / advice
- Short term involvement for specific or multiple problems
- Ongoing advice, care and support for complex situations
Planned Respite Care
Respite care is available to support patients and carers when the patient’s preferred place of care is in the home. Respite may be provided in the in-patient unit for up to 7 days. Availability for Respite care is limited and thus other options such as Nursing Homes should be explored as these may offer greater flexibility.
Process for Referral
- Referrals will normally come from Health and Social Care Professionals. In the case of an approach by the patient and /or family further information will be sought from the patient’s General Practitioner with the patient’s consent
- All domains of the referral form must be fully completed (incomplete referrals will be returned and result in delay for the patient)
- If an urgent referral is accepted, it will be dealt with as a priority, usually within 24 hours. All other referrals will be contacted as soon as possible, usually within 5 working days
Discharge Criteria
- The patient no longer meets the referral criteria
- The patient declines the service offered
- Change in patient’s place of care
- Death of patient (Bereavement Services will be offered as appropriate)
Discharge is a multi-professional process which is discussed where possible with the patient, their family and other relevant members of the primary health care team.
Re-referral is of course welcomed should the patient later develop needs that fall within the criteria.
If you are in doubt about the appropriateness of a referral, please telephone the hospice for advice and discuss the patient's needs with the member of the specialist team to whom you wish to refer.
Day care
There are 20 day places available each day for four days per week (Tuesday- Friday) for patients living in Wolverhampton, parts of South Staffordshire and for some patients living on the Wolverhampton border of Dudley, Sandwell and Shropshire.
Community palliative care
Community palliative care clinical nurse specialist service (home care team equivalent to Macmillan nurses)
The community palliative care clinical nurse specialist service visits patients within their own homes throughout the area of Wolverhampton, parts of South Staffordshire, Dudley, East Shropshire and some on the borders of Wolverhampton with Sandwell and Walsall. All patients will receive an initial contact within two weeks of referral, during which arrangements for ongoing contacts will be made.
Hospice at home
A nursing service is available mainly for the last few days of life for patients living within the Wolverhampton area.
Medical service
The hospice medical team carries out domiciliary visits throughout the catchment area of the hospice. Joint visits with Macmillan nurses or GPs can be arranged. Patients are seen in the outpatient clinic at the hospice when possible.
Social work and family services
Options for patients and families include: practical advice and support e.g. welfare rights, making a will, psychological and emotional support for individuals and the whole family. There is also assistance available for the preparation of children for the death of a family member, listening and exploring views on difficult and painful decisions, e.g., assisting patients and family in deciding future care plans. We can help refer to counselling or psychology services and advocate on behalf of patients with Social Services regarding care in the community or nursing or residential homes.
Complementary therapy service
Aromatherapy, reflexology, indian head massage and reiki are offered to hospice patients and their main carers. The service is delivered as an out- patient, on the ward area, in the day unit or the community when possible.
Physiotherapy service
In addition to general in-patient physiotherapy, the rehabilitation services offered by this department aim to maximise patients’ independence in order to meet their goals which are jointly agreed between the healthcare professional and the patient.
Bereavement service
Bereavement support is available for families and friends of those who have received care from any of the Compton Hospice teams. We offer individual support from qualified staff and trained bereavement visitors, or the opportunity to join a support group led by trained volunteers. Individual or group support for children and young people from qualified staff can be requested at any time.
Wolverhampton Lymphoedema Services (WLS)
The services provided by this department are available for some patients living in the catchment area covered by the hospice via a separate referral process. For further information please call 01902 774517, or 0845 225 5497 out of hours.
If you have any further questions about Compton Hospice and Services/Medical, please call 0845 225 5497 or contact us. We will do our utmost to help with your enquiry.
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