Medical Info

At the Highland Hospice we have a team of doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, a physiotherapist, complementary therapist, family support worker, chaplain, and bereavement counsellors.

Caring Counts, a document for Carers

The help we provide

• In-patient beds for treatment and care of patients
• A day centre treating those who are still able to live at home among their family
• Complementary therapies for patients,relatives& carers
• Bereavement counselling
• Support groups for families of patients
• Telephone advisory service 24 hours a day 365 days a year for GPs, Community Nurses, therapists and carers
• Training for health professionals working with terminally ill people in the community

A home from home

Many people comment on how friendly and uplifting the atmosphere is in the Hospice. We believe in making the most of life:a spirit of enjoyment and togetherness pervades so much of what happens here. Whatever your reason for coming to the Hospice we aim to make it like an extension of your home. Adult patients of all ages come to the Hospice, for varying lengths of stay. We will accept patients with any incurable disease. Since the Hospiceopened in 1988 we have treated people with:

• cancer
• motor neurone disease
• heart disease
• lung disease
• kidney disease

Our Medical Team

The hospice has four doctors:

• Dr Stephen Hutchison, Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director
• Dr Jeremy Keen, Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine
• Dr Gill Pilling, Staff Physician
• DrTony Waite, Staff Physician

From time to time other doctors in training join the medical team.

What do the doctors do?

The doctors meet with other members of the clinical team every morning, to discuss the care of patients who are in the hospice. All patients are visited daily to assess symptoms, review treatment, and to discuss other aspects of care such as planning for discharge.

The hospice has 10 beds, and so it is important that we can provide advice and care for patients in other ways. The doctors will therefore see patients who attend the day hospice, at home, and in hospital. Regular visits are made to Skye, Lochalsh, Wester Ross, Lochaber, Sutherland and Caithness.

The hospice doctors are involved with teaching and training of medical students and other doctors in the hospice and hospital. Aberdeen University medical students are attached to Highland Hospice and are encouraged to learn from our patients.

What are the common medical problems?

In the hospice we are treating patients with illnesses that are not curable. However that does not mean that ‘nothing can be done’. Pain is a common problem with the illnesses we see and we have several drugs and techniques to help control this. Similarly, sickness, bowel upsets, and breathlessness are common, and usually respond to treatment. It would be dishonest to say that we can fix everything! Whilst we aim to get rid of symptoms altogether, sometimes the best we can achieve is an improvement, but we are usually able to make a significant difference.

Why might we admit a patient to the hospice?

It is a common misconception that hospices are only concerned with care in the last few days or weeks of life. Care at these times is an important part of our work and can happen at the hospice if it is not possible to provide the necessary care at home or elsewhere. But we do a great deal more than just that. Patients may be admitted for control of pain or other symptoms, for convalescence and rehabilitation after a period of hospital treatment, and occasionally to give carers and families a much needed rest. The hospice is not a long-term care unit and the average length of stay is about 12 days.

How can a patient be seen by hospice staff?

The hospice staff work along with hospital and community clinical teams, and we do not see ourselves as the only providers of care. It is important that GPs and consultants know what is happening to their patients. We therefore have a rule that patients can only be seen by the hospice if they have been referred by their GP or hospital consultant. Such a referral may of course take place in consultation with the family and with nursing colleague.

Information for GPs and Consultants

Referring a patient

We are able to help with the management of patients with progressive advanced disease, cancer or otherwise, for whom cure is no longer possible. Sometimes these patients will be approaching the end of life, but that should not of itself be the deciding factor, and referral for help with physical, psychological, social, functional or spiritual issues at an earlier stage of the illness is welcomed. Patients may be referred by letter addressed to either of the consultants, or by telephone when details can be given to the clinical secretary. If the problems are best addressed by members of the hospice team other than the doctors, the referral will be processed accordingly.

Advice by telephone

Often all that is necessary is to discuss the management of a patient with one of the hospice doctors or nurses. Nursing and medical staff are available round the clock and can be contacted by telephoning the hospice at any time, on 01463 243132.

Information about courses and education in palliative care can be foundon the Education page of this site or at www.palliativecourses.com/

The Day Hospice

The Highland Hospice's Day Hospice is a purpose-built facility providing patients and carers with a wide range of services including nursing, medical, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, family support, complementary therapies, and chaplaincy.

The aim is to improve patients’ self-worth and confidence while dealing with symptoms of their illness.

• The Day Hospice is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 10am and 3.30pm, and on Wednesdays is open on an appointment basis.
• Transport is provided by volunteer drivers
• A varied programme of activities is on offer.
• All services, including food and refreshments, are provided free of charge
• Adults of all ages are welcome
• Respite and ongoing support for carers are available
• Patients can be referred by a health professional
• Patients remain under the care of their GP
• Leaflets and further information are available from the Hospice – come in and see us or phone us on 01463 243132.

Therapies

The Hospice offers a range of therapies including complementary therapies, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. All hope to improve the patient’s quality of life and self-esteem. Physiotherapy, for example, can mean improving a patient’s mobility - a key factor in quality of life. Without mobility, people depend on others for personal care with consequent loss of privacy and dignity. Occupational Therapy can enable patients to be more independent, and encourage them to be more active in leisure and recreational interests. We offer arts & crafts therapy within the Hospice, as well as taking patients on outings - for example to the shops, to a garden centre, or to the theatre. Complementary therapies include aromatherapy, massage, relaxation and acupuncture.

Coping with grief

Relatives of all ages frequently visit patientsin the Hospice. The death of a family member is a painful and devastating event. A large part of their world has been lost, and will never be the same again. The Hospice’s Bereavement Support Service is there to help people through the most difficult of times.

LINKS

The following are links to otherwebsites that you may find useful if you wish to find out more about palliative and hospice care.

Help the Hospices www.helpthehospices.org.uk

A national charity primarily supporting the independent hospice movement.

Marie Curie Cancer Care www.mariecurie.org.uk

Marie Curie Cancer Care is dedicated to the care of people affected by cancer and the enhancement of their quality of life through its caring services, research and education.

Macmillan Cancer Relief www.macmillan.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Relief is a UK charity supporting people with cancer and their families with specialist information, treatment and care.

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care www.palliativecarescotland.org.uk

Anational umbrella body that is of direct benefit to patients and carers. It contributes to national thinking and policy in relation to palliative care, and promotes improvements in service delivery at local level.

Children’s Hospice Association Scotland www.chas.org.uk

CHAS is the Scottish charity committed to the provision of children's hospice services in Scotland, working exclusively with children with life limiting conditions and their families.

Association for Palliative Medicine www.palliative-medicine.org

The Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland (APM) is an association of doctors who work in hospices and specialist palliative care units or who have a particular interest in palliative medicine

Cancerbackup www.cancerbackup.org.uk

Cancerbackup provides a free cancer information service staffed by qualified and experienced cancer nurses, publications on all aspects of cancer written specifically for patients and their families (available in full on this website) and a growing number of Cancerbackup local centres in hospitals up and down the country, also staffed by specialist cancer nurses.

Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association www.scotmnd.org.uk

The Scottish MND Association works for the MND community by offering care and support to anyone diagnosed with MND, no matter where they live in Scotland, providing accurate and up to date information on all aspects of MND and promoting and funding research, particularly research that will lead to improved care and quality of life for those living with MND.

End-of-Life Observatory www.eolc-observatory.net

An interesting site run by the University of Lancaster that monitors and reports on the development of palliative care services across the world.

Maggie’s Centre www.maggies.ed.ac.uk

A rapidly developing network of resource centres for people with cancer, their families and friends. It was founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks and guided by her experiences as a cancer patient.

St. Christopher’s Hospice Information Centre www.hospiceinformation.info

All you would want to know about hospice services in the U.K. and abroad with search facilities to track down what services are available and contact details.

Palliative Drugs.comwww.palliativedrugs.com

A rapidly growing and internationally recognised resource for information about medicines and their use within Palliative Care. Monthly Newsletters and membership of a Bulletin Board enable you to be kept right up to date with the latest developments within the field.

Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at BethIsrael Medical Centre New York www.StopPain.org

A good resource for general information on symptom control and for obtaining educational materials.

RIPRAP www.riprap.org.uk

A website developed especially for teenagers who have a parent with cancer.Here you can share your thoughts and explore your emotions through an exciting interactive tool.You'll find stores from others, information about cancer and treatments and tips to help you with what's going on in your family.However you feel...you're not alone.

CROCUSwww.crocusgroup.org.uk

The Crocus Group provides support for bereaved children in the Highlands through the provision of regular individual “Days to Remember” and a programme of groupwork called “Seasons for Growth.”

NOSCAN www.noscan.scot.nhs.uk

The Highland Hospice is a member of NOSCAN (North of Scotland Cancer Advisory Network).

JOURNALS

International Journal of Palliative Nursing www.internationaljournalofpalliativenursing.com

Peer-reviewed and refereed journal with regular sections on nursing innovations, symptom management, education and international developments. Free articles and editorials can be downloaded.

Palliative Medicine www.arnoldpublishers.co.uk/journals/Journpages/02692163.htm

An international peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal dedicated to improving knowledge and clinical practice in palliative care.

Journal Articles

bmj.com British Medical Journal Collected Resources : Palliative Medicine

A useful and easy to access collection of articles relevant to palliative care that have been published in the British Medical Journal.