Community Services

Aim

The Team support and complement Health and Social Care community services e.g. District Nursing, Social Services and Allied Health Professionals. Together we work to provide a quality service to patients and families who have complex oncology and palliative care needs.

What is palliative care and oncology?

• Palliative and end of life care is the active, holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illness.
• Oncology is the branch of medicine that deals with cancer.

Who are we?

• Macmillan GP Facilitator
• Palliative Care Nurses
• Oncology Nurses
• Oncology and Palliative Care Case Manager
• Occupational Therapists
• Physiotherapists
• Dietitians
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Social Workers

What do we offer?

The Team provide specialist advice and support in the management of patients with unresolved complex symptoms or risks associated with care in advanced long term conditions such as cancer, neurological, cardiac, respiratory and renal conditions. Symptoms may include lymphoedema, functional difficulties, breathlessness, communication difficulties, extreme fatigue, advanced cachexia, pain and complications with cancer treatments and central lines. The risks may relate to the patient, carer, treatment or equipment.

The Team work to:

• Prioritise referrals
• Provide expert clinical practice and undertake joint assessments
• Support the management and treatment of complex symptoms
• Facilitate professional development and education opportunities for healthcare professionals
• Are involved in local service improvements through research, audit and evidence based practice
• Offer guidance and act as a resource to statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations involved in service provision
• Implementing national and regional policies to ensure best practice
• Work in partnership with all other organisations involved in the care of patients with cancer and life limiting illness.

The Team Social Workers and Nurses work in a supportive role and do not retain a caseload.

If you need us:

Referrals are accepted to this service from all health and social care professionals. Members of the public are welcome to contact the Team for advice and support.

How to refer a patient:

South and East Belfast locality:
Contact Call Management Centre
Tel: (028) 9056 5565.

North and West Belfast locality:
Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist and Dietitian, contact Call Management Centre
Tel: (028) 9063 5300.

Palliative Care Nurses, Oncology and Palliative Care Case Manager, Oncology Nurses and Social Work
Tel: 028 90741188.

To ensure accurate referral, please specify that the patient has palliative care needs.

Where we are

Knockbreda Centre, 110 Saintfield Road, Belfast, BT8 6GR
Tel: 028 95042326 Fax: 02890 631700 Hours of service: Mon –Fri 9am – 5pm

Crumlin Road Health Centre, 94-100 Crumlin Road, Belfast, BT14 6AP
Tel: 02890 741188 Fax: 02890 758885 Hours of service: Mon –Fri 9am – 5pm

Treatment Room nurses work in partnership with GP staff in Health Centres across Belfast. For patients registered with a GP the nurse can provide treatment, discuss health issues and refer to other Health Professionals as required.

Treatment Room Nurses carry out a range of services for cancer patients such as:

• Wound care
• Injections
• Blood test
• Smear Tests

Patients who are temporary residents in an area where their GP is not situated, must register with a doctor in the Health Centre they want to use in order to receive nursing and medical care.

Health Promotion advice is available from the nursing staff and from a comprehensive range of leaflets on a variety of health and lifestyle issues.

How to access the service

Patients can be referred to the Treatment Room by their GP after a consultation or may also make an appointment to see the nurse by speaking directly to their GP’s receptionist.

Contact details

Patients should contact their GP surgery for Treatment Room services.

District Nurses deliver a high quality, confidential service which is based on assessing patients’ and their carers’ needs and providing the required nursing care. They provide care to patients who are housebound. For patients not housebound, home visits can be made in exceptional circumstances following assessment. GPs and the District Sister work together to assess medical and nursing needs of patients.

The District Nurse

• Assesses patient nursing requirements
• Plans patient nursing care and helps arrange other services if needed
• Educates and supports patients and carers
• Gives comfort and support with symptoms when someone is near the end of their life
• Offers bereavement support

Referral

Patients or their health care workers or carers can organise referrals to a district nurse.

To arrange district nursing support patients should contact their GP or contact:

• South and East locality: 02890565565
• North and West locality: (028) 9063 5300 (8.30am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am-4.30pm Friday) or 02890744447 for out of hours (5pm- 8.30am, weekends and bank holidays.)

The Out of Hours nursing team provides nursing care and support to patients who can safely be cared for at home.

The team works to:

• Prevent admission or attendance at hospital
• Facilitate earlier hospital discharges for patient’s on home intravenous antibiotics
• Provide enhanced palliative and end of life care
• Provide urgent out of hours nursing care

If required patients will be seen within one hour of the referral depending on the nature and urgency of patients needs.

Only patients in North and West Belfast can acess this service and must be able to be cared for safely at home.

Contact

Contact the 24 Hour Team at 07900053824 to speak to the nurse on duty who can:

• Provide telephone advice about any current problems or situations
• Give an approximate time for the 24 Hour Team to visit.
• Advise whether a patient should see a district nurse, GP or attend a hospital for treatment.

Location of care

Care is provided to patients:

• In their own home
• Nursing homes
• Trust and private residential homes
• Hostel accommodation within North or West Belfast

Referral to this service is accepted from any referral source.