Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life limiting illness.  It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual.
A life limiting illness is a range of illnesses that cannot be cured. It can include but is not limited to:

• Cancer
• Heart and lung disease
• Motor neurons disease and multiple sclerosis
• Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• Renal and kidney disease
• Stroke and other neurological conditions
• Frailty and other life limiting illnesses.

Although it can include end of life care, palliative care is much broader and can last for longer.  Having palliative care doesn’t necessarily mean that you are likely to die soon some people have palliative care for years.  

Palliative care is provided by a range of different professionals in the hospital including:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Support workers

The Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team provides advice and support to the people providing care for you if your condition becomes complex or you are entering the last year of your life.

You may see our team as an inpatient or as an outpatient. 
 

We offer a range of services, and we aim to:

• Give advice about managing pain and other physical symptoms.
• Support you while you are facing serious illness.
• Offer practical suggestions to help you do the things that are important to you.
• Offer support to those close to you.
• Introduce you to other services that might be helpful to you, such as hospices, support groups, palliative care community teams and welfare benefits advice.

We work closely with the community teams in Halton and Warrington, as well as other local hospitals and hospices, to co-ordinate care for patients.

Consultant in Palliative Medicine
Matron for Palliative and End of Care
Specialist Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists
Clinical Nurse Educator for Palliative and End of Life Care
Secretary to the Specialist Palliative Care Team
 

Palliative care outpatient clinics are held weekly at Warrington Hospital and monthly at Halton Hospital.

There is a Clinical Nurse Specialist available 5 days a week between the hours of 8.30am and 4.30pm.

There is a Palliative Medicine Consultant telephone advice line available to clinicians out of hours caring for inpatients.

You can contact the team via telephone on 01925 662 915 or by calling the main hospital switchboard on 01925 635 911 and asking them to bleep the Hospital Palliative Care Team.

Team Email: whh.palliativecareteam@nhs.net
 

The Delamere (Macmillan) Centre, Halton Hospital, Runcorn - 01928 753 502

The Delamere cancer support and information centre offers information, support, counselling and complementary therapies to patients and their carers.

Macmillan Cancer Support - 0808 808 0000 www.macmillan.org.uk

If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just someone to talk to, call free, Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm (interpretation service available).

Following a discussion with the patient or their loved one a referral can be made by healthcare professionals via phone, direct contact with the team, or internally via ICE.  

Patients or their loved ones can self-refer to the team by telephone.

Telephone advice can be sought by contacting any team member.