Bedfordshire Specialist Palliative Care

The role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist is to work in partnership with the primary care team and hold a caseload of those patients with complex specialist palliative care needs. Each patient with a life limiting condition will be assessed holistically using an agreed tool at the beginning of their palliative diagnosis and at appropriate points of the care pathway.

Referral is made to other services and agencies as appropriate and the team will work with the relevant key worker at any given time.

The Specialist Palliative Care team includes a Specialist Palliative Care Physiotherapist whose aim is to maximise patients’ ability to function, promote independence and assist them to adapt to their condition. This is available to patients in north and mid Beds localities. The Specialist Palliative Care Physiotherapist will also give educational support to South Beds locality.

The team provides support to the patient normal place of residence including care homes, acute hospitals, hospices and prison. Patients will be encouraged to attend planned clinics where appropriate determined on an individual basis.

The service is available for all adults (18 years the service and over) with a life limiting illness registered with a Bedfordshire GP.

Referrals are accepted from:

• GPs
• Health Care Professionals
• PEPs