Patients
We hope this information will help you understand more about the support and services that are available at St. Helena Hospice and how you might be able to benefit from them. You will notice that the support is not just for our patients, everyone at St. Helena Hospice appreciates that family, or friends, may need help too. Family is taken to include anyone who matters to the patient.
St Helena Hospice is based at Highwoods in Colchester but also has a Day Centre in Clacton as well as a presence in Halstead.
You do not need to be resident at the Hospice to obtain help, as the Hospice operates Day Centres and can bring some of the services to your home if that is better for you.
Many of the people that use the Hospice are experiencing a good quality of life and may, for the most part, be coping quite well. The Hospice can be used as and when their services are needed and you may find yourself using them quite extensively initially and then months or years may pass before you feel the need to return, and that is fine.
Patient Information Guide
We know you are likely to have questions about the Hospice so we have included the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) throughout our Patient Information Guide.If your query is not covered in the above guide or on our website, please contact St Helena Hospice by telephone 24 hours a day every day of the year.
"So often in life, it is not so much what is done as the way it is done that is important. I shall never forget the compassion and maintenance of dignity that I witnessed" quote from friend of patient, 2009.
“Words cannot express our appreciation of you all. It was a comfort to us that he was in such a safe, caring and loving environment”
“Thank you for your help and understanding. I don’t think I would have got through it all without you.”
“We could not have wished for a more pleasant place to say our goodbyes.”
quotes from ‘thank you’ cards, 2008
How can I get help from the Hospice?
There are several ways you can be referred to the Hospice, the most common are by your GP, by a district nurse, via the hospital or by some other professional dealing with your condition. You can even contact the Hospice yourself if necessary.
After an initial assessment, the team will work with you and your family to agree a plan that will form the basis of our support, which is then reviewed on a regular basis. For example, this support might take the form of home visits from a Community Palliative Nurse Specialist and/or a Family Support Worker or it could be that our Day Service is a more appropriate support (more of this later).
The Hospice team provide ‘palliative care’ which is a term that you will hear a lot. The team consists of people from many specialist areas that come together to offer support and comfort to you and your family or carer; not all of them from a medical background but all dedicated to helping you get the most out of life. You will find a description of the main areas in this guide.
FAQ - So what does ‘palliative care’ mean?
Here is the definition given by the Government guidelines:
“Palliative care is the active holistic care of patients with advanced, progressive illness. 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.”
FAQ – Does the Inpatient Unit offer respite care?
The Hospice does not offer social respite as this is provided through health and social services. However the Inpatient Unit can offer admission for the patient and a break for the family when there are complex psychological or physical issues that only an inpatient stay can address.