Being Referred
Frequently Asked Questions:
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- How do I get referred to St Catherine’s?
- Why have I been referred to St Catherine’s?
- What is palliative care?
- Does being referred to the hospice mean that I won’t see the other people currently involved in my care?
- Is St Catherine’s Hospice part of the NHS?
- Where will I be seen?
- Who will see me?
- How will I know when the hospice nurse/doctor will visit?
- What happens if English is not my first language?
- What if I have other special needs?
- What happens next?
- Do I have to pay for my care?
- Is St Catherine’s Hospice a religious organisation?
- Sharing Information
How do I get referred to St Catherine's?
Either your GP and District Nurse or your hospital team will discuss referral to St Catherine's with you.
Why have I been referred to St Catherine’s?Every aspect of life can be affected when you are told that your illness is no longer responsive to curative treatment.
We understand that limited prognosis can bring great anxiety, stress and a sense of loss of control.
You have been referred to St Catherine’s in order for you to receive palliative care.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is based on the belief that each person is more than their illness and that each of us has unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
The role of palliative care is to treat your pain and other symptoms, as well as providing you and your family, carers and friends with practical and emotional advice and support. Our goal is to help you achieve the best possible quality of life and to help you live your life as normally as possible.
Does being referred to the hospice mean that I won’t see the other people currently involved in my care?
No, the hospice team works in partnership with the other professionals involved in your care.
Your GP and district nurse – we work closely with your GP and district nurse and will discuss with them any changes or suggestions we have and keep them informed.
Your GP remains responsible for your medical care and prescribing your medication whilst you are at home.
Your district nurse remains key in the planning of any nursing care and support you may need at home.
Your consultant – most of the people referred to St Catherine’s are also seeing a hospital consultant and may still be having treatment. We have close links with all the local hospitals in the area and will liaise with the hospital teams as necessary.
Other specialist NHS nurses– for example, a specialist heart failure nurse, modern matron or specialist MS nurse. We will liaise with them as necessary.
Social Services/Home Care support – if you are receiving help at home from Social Services or through an agency, this will need to continue as the hospice does not provide this service.
Care Home staff – if you are in a Residential or Nursing Home your care will continue there, but we will provide advice and support for the care home staff.
Is St Catherine’s Hospice part of the NHS?
St Catherine’s Hospice is an independent registered charity and not part of the NHS and receives less than 20 per cent of government funding. This means that the hospice is funded by many people - individuals, groups, businesses – all of whom choose to support the work of the hospice because they think it is important that expert palliative care is available for local people .
Where will I be seen?
Either at home, in the hospice outpatient room or at one of the local community hospitals. We will let you have the details when we contact you.
Who will see me?
Initially, one of the St Catherine’s specialist community nurses or one of the hospice doctors.
How will I know when the hospice nurse/doctor will visit?
Generally, we will contact you or the person who has referred you to St Catherine’s within two working days of receiving a referral, to discuss your referral or to arrange an initial assessment.
You will generally receive a telephone call to discuss your current situation. It may be that you will need to see us soon after this. Alternatively, a visit will be booked in advance at a mutually convenient time.
It would be appreciated if you could let us know as soon as possible if you need to change the time and date.
What happens if English is not my first language?
If you do not have a family member or friend who is willing to interpret for you or would prefer an independent interpreter, we will try and arrange this for you.
What if I have other special needs?
If you have a specific difficulty, for example, a hearing impairment or use a wheelchair, please let us know so that we can help.
What happens next?
Following discussion with the community nurse or hospice doctor, the outcome of our initial assessment could be:-
- You will be offered the support and advisory service provided by one of our community nurses who will visit you in your own home. They will be your key hospice worker whilst you are at home.
- You will be cared for on an out-patient basis and be followed up on by prearranged appointments by a nurse or doctor.
- In some circumstances following assessment, an admission to the hospice in-patient unit is required. The hospice team will keep you and your family/ close friends informed of when a bed is available.
- You may have been referred for a specific service, e.g. counselling. In this event, the relevant professional will contact you to make arrangements to see you.
- You may not have a specific need that the hospice can help you with at this time. In this event there will not be any contact from us unless you are re-referred.
Our multi-professional team will work with you in partnership with your current healthcare professionals to address your individual needs as they arise.
Do I have to pay for my care?
No, we provide palliative care based on need. All our care is free to patients, their families, friends and carers.
Is St Catherine’s Hospice a religious organisation?
No. Hospices do have their origins in Christian Europe and 40 years ago, when hospices were being established, it was common to name them after saints although they are not religious organisations. People are referred to hospices based on their need for palliative care. Central to hospice philosophy is a profound respect for the beliefs of every individual. We care for people of any faith or no faith.
Sharing Information
We would also like to make you aware that it is normal practice for us to exchange relevant clinical information with other professionals such as GPs, out of hours doctors and hospitals. If you have any questions about this practice, please discuss it with one of the members of the team.