North west London NHS North West London is proposing changes to improve adult community specialist palliative care services for people with serious or life-limiting illnesses.
They want to hear your views on these proposed improvements, which focus on compassionate, accessible care for residents across our area, full deatils at: www.nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/cspc
What is community specialist palliative care?
Community specialist palliative care includes services for people outside of hospitals, such as in their homes, care homes, or hospices. This care supports those with terminal illnesses, focusing on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and offering emotional support to patients, families, and carers.
Proposed improvements
NWL are committed to providing compassionate care that ensures equal access to high-quality support. Key proposals include:
- A specialist palliative care nursing team available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, across all boroughs.
- 24/7 telephone support for specialist palliative care advice for all North West London residents.
- “Hospice at Home” services available around the clock.
- Specialist palliative care outpatient clinics in each borough.
- Improved access to psychological and bereavement support for families at local hospices. Lymphoedema is a long-term condition where a build-up of lymph fluid in your body's soft tissues causes swelling.
- 46 new enhanced end-of-life care beds across the region, providing additional options for those whose needs cannot be met at home but do not require hospice-level inpatient care.
- Maintaining 57 consultant-led hospice specialist palliative care inpatient beds that are currently available, which our analysis shows will meet community needs over the next five years.
How to have your say
Consulting is on two options for delivering these services:
Option A (Preferred): Fully implement the proposed model, including 46 new enhanced end-of-life care beds, while maintaining the existing hospice beds without reopening the Pembridge Hospice inpatient beds. This option would be easier and
quicker to implement and benefit more north west London residents as a whole.
Option B: Fully implement the proposed model, including 46 new enhanced end-of life care beds and reopen Pembridge Hospice inpatient beds. This would require a reduction in hospice beds elsewhere and have a longer implementation timeline due
to the need to recruit specialist palliative care consultant cover and 35 additional staff.
This consultation runs from 18 November 2024 to 24 February 2025, feedback is very much welcomed on these options.
To read the full proposal, visit : www.nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/cspc and find out how you can get involved, including attending an event or drop-in session.