Palliative care
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When an illness is no longer considered curable our palliative care team provide support and care to patients, their relatives and carers.
We aim to maintain quality of life, provide relief from pain and distressing symptoms, and offer help to live as normally as possible. Our palliative care is holistic and we work closely with our psychology team, therapy teams, the chaplaincy, welfare benefits, social services and community partners.
Conditions and treatments
We have specialist palliative care consultants and clinical nurse specialists at each of our hospitals who provide help with:
- advice and support on the management of symptom control issues, including pain, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and breathlessness
- psychological support and advice for you, your family and carers
- spiritual and cultural needs
- social and financial issues
- planning for discharge, liaising closely with health and social care teams in the local community
Patient information leaflets
Meet the team
All members of our palliative care team have specialist training and experience in caring for patients who have an illness which may not be curable, people with advanced disease and patients at the end of their life. Our team will discuss any decisions or plans for your care with you and your family. They will be able to answer any questions you have about the benefits and risks of your care options. The team also acts as an advisory service to the medical team who is looking after you.
Key roles within the palliative care team are
A palliative care nurse specialist is the main contact for palliative care and may become your key worker. The key worker is the person who will be your point of contact during your illness.
A palliative medicine consultant is a specialist in pain and symptom control, and provides guidance to the palliative care team about your care plan.
Other members
There are other healthcare professionals who work closely with the palliative care team, such as dietitians, occupational therapists, psychologists or chaplains. They can offer a range of practical, emotional and spiritual support. If you would like to be referred to any of them, please mention this to your nurse specialist.
Lead palliative medicine consultant
Dr Clare Smith
Palliative medicine consultants
Dr Katherine Buxton
Dr Sara Delgado
Dr Karen Frame
Dr Anne-Louise Jennings
Dr Sarah Frearson
Dr Jas Gill (locum consultant)
Resident Doctors
Foundation Year 2
Foundation Year 3
Specialist Registrar
Lead nurse for palliative care
Tori Martin
Palliative care team leads
Jeanette Descallar
Ulrike Gillon
Maxwell Opoku-Darko
Palliative care nurse specialists
Daniel Charmant-Dunne
Lucy Colacicchi
Andrea Lowe
Louise Moran
Leanne Moran (maternity leave)
Stephanie Nunn
Carrie O’Dell
Melissa Pardillo
Amanda Robinson
Scarlett Ryan
Angela Rodrigues (CNS in training)
Fliss Hafner (CNS in training)
Palliative care team administrators
Judy Naidoo
Iwona Pilat
Refer to this service
Email: Imperial.palliative-care@nhs.net
Charing Cross Hospital
Phone: 020 3311 1402
Hammersmith Hospital
Phone: 020 3313 1531
St Mary’s Hospital
Phone: 020 3312 6011
More urgent referrals can be made by bleeping the palliative care clinical nurse specialist on each hospital site (09.00 to 17.00, Monday through Friday) via the switchboard.
Secondary care
Our palliative care team take referrals from any hospital staff member. Patients and their carers can also directly request assistance from the team. The team are happy to see or discuss any patient who has a life-limiting illness and is an inpatient or attending outpatient clinics at our hospitals.
Referrals can be made over the telephone or in person. If necessary a message can be left on the answer machine, and a team member will contact you within 24 hours. There is also a 24-hour telephone service for medical staff within the Trust to access specialist palliative care advice.
The team is available from 09.00 to 17.00, Monday through Friday.
Additional information
Our palliative care partners
Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service at Charing Cross Hospital
Phone: 020 3313 0171
The information centre provides support, practical and signposting advice to anyone affected by cancer. The service is set in a confidential non-clinical environment in which people affected by cancer can discuss private and emotional needs.
Elective placements and education
The team offer placements for student nursing staff and medical trainees/trained medical staff when possible. Please email Imperial.palliative-care@nhs.net for more information.
The team also runs a study day on palliative care in the acute setting three times a year.
Further online resources
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