What is the Community
Palliative Team?
The palliative care team is a team of Nurses, Doctors and Social Workers who work. We work closely with your GP and Public Health Nurse, who continue to have overall medical and nursing responsibility for your care.
What the Palliative care
Team do?
Our Community Palliative Care Team provides advice support and information about your illness. We also provide assessment and management of symptoms you might have e.g. pain, nausea or breathlessness. This assessment may be by phone or in person in your home or place of care. We offer emotional and spiritual support as well as bereavement support with counselling if appropriate.
We can provide practical social support by providing information on matters including welfare benefits and community services `
How our service works
You must be referred to the Palliative Care Service by a Doctor and your GP must agree for the Palliative Care Team to be involved in your care.
When received the referral will be prioritised depending on the urgency of the referral. Initially we will phone you to arrange a suitable day for our Doctor and Nurse to meet you at home or in your place of care.
At your first visit, we will make an assessment of your symptoms and your needs. We will explain our service and address any questions you might have.
Any recommendations or medication changes will be discussed with your GP who will prescribe any medication required.
You will be followed up by Specialist Palliative Care Nurses assigned to your local area. If your condition stabilises or improves you may be discharged from our service.
You can be re-referred at any time in the future if you need our service again. If you no longer wish to avail of our service, you can choose to be discharged from our service.
Night Nursing Services
The Irish Cancer Society provides a Night Nursing Service for cancer patients.
The Irish Hospice Foundation provide a Night Nursing Service for non-cancer patients.
Patients can avail of this service free of charge for up to ten nights.
We can help to arrange this service in conjunction with your Public Health Nurse. Night Nursing Services are dependent on patient need and availability of nurses in the area.
