The Specialist Palliative Care team consists of consultants, speciality doctors and clinical nurse specialists who can provide you with advice and support to help you with palliative and end of life care.

Palliative care is the active holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illness; irrespective of diagnosis. Management of pain and other symptoms and provision of psychological, social and spiritual support is paramount. The goal of palliative care is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families.

Many aspects of palliative care are also applicable earlier in the course of the illness in conjunction with other treatments.

Palliative care aims to:

  • Affirm life and regard dying as a normal process
  • Provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
  • Integrate the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care
  • Offer a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death
  • Offer a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and in their own bereavement
  • Offer support and advice to staff.

Referral criteria 

Professionals should consider referral to the Specialist Palliative Care team for any person with a serious progressive life limiting illness, whose level of need and complexity is considered beyond the scope of the current team. Please ensure first line symptom control and psychological support measures have been undertaken prior to referral.

For further information on the Aintree referral process, visit the DMS.

For further information on the Royal referral process, visit the DMS.

 

Referral process

Aintree

The primary route for referral is via ADT. Please note, referrals will be checked between the hours of 9am-4pm, we will accept URGENT referrals between 4pm-5pm.

We aim to respond to routine referrals within one to two days.

If you require URGENT specialist palliative care advice, please complete an ADT referral and call directly to discuss.

Advice is available 24/7:

  • Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm, via ADT. If urgent advice is required or you wish to discuss a referral call Ext. 2098/2095/2839
  • Weekends and Bank Holidays, 9am-5pm, bleep 5338
  • Outside of these hours, please contact the palliative care doctor on call via Switchboard.

Royal and Broadgreen

  • Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, via ADT. If urgent advice is required or you wish to discuss a referral call Ext. 2274
  • Weekends and Bank Holidays, 9am-4.30pm via ADT. Urgent advice via on call CNS via bleep 4191
  • Outside of these hours contact 0845 223 2900.

The Integrated Mersey Palliative Care Team (IMPaCT) is a partnership between Marie Curie Hospice (Liverpool), Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Woodlands Hospice.

This is a consultant-led, integrated, multiprofessional palliative care service, offering a single point of access and referral to palliative care to support Liverpool and South Sefton patients with a life limiting, progressive condition.

The IMPaCT line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information on the service and how to refer follow the link or speak to the Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team.