Community Services - Pearn
What is St Lukes Community Service ?
St Lukes Community Service incorporates a number of different services, who all work out of Pearn House in Eggbuckland Road. The aim of all these services is to support palliative care patients and carers living in a community setting. St Lukes Community Service incorporates the following:
Community Specialist Palliative Care Service
The aim of the community specialist palliative care service is to provide the highest quality care to alleviate pain and distressing symptoms for people with life threatening illness, and to offer practical, emotional and spiritual support to them, their family and their carers.
The team consists of specialist staff who are trained in palliative care. In the team there are specialist nurses, social workers and an occupational therapist. We work in partnership with the patient’s general practitioner (GP) and district nurse. Your own GP remains responsible for your care, even when the specialist team is involved. We visit people at home, in nursing and residential homes and in community hospitals. Volunteers work within the team to offer extra support to patients and families.
Our role Includes the following:
· Supporting and advising individuals with cancer and other life threatening illnesses,
· Assessment and advice on management of physical symptoms such as pain and sickness,
· Emotional support to patients and carers
· Specialist advice to GP’s and other community professionals,
· Liaison with other professionals such as social services, occupational therapists and hospital teams.
St Luke’s Community Specialist Palliative Care Team covers the City of Plymouth and surrounding areas in Devon, including those around Salcombe, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge and Tavistock. Referral to this Service can be by a patient’s GP, hospital doctor, district nurse, hospital or hospice palliative care team. Self-referral is also possible by ringing on the main Pearn number – 01752 436730.
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Day Hospice
Within our modern day hospice facility, we are able to provide an environment, which is aimed at empowering people living with a progressive life threatening illness to gain/maintain, their self worth and independence. We offer a range of activities designed to develop/challenge users mental and physical skills. Day hospice users can also receive complementary medicine therapies. Within day hospice, we are also able to provide a limited hairdressing and bathing service. The day hospice currently runs between 9.00am-3pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays each week apart from a two-week period in both August and December. Any specialist palliative care health worker working within St Lukes Services can make referrals to this service on behalf of patient and their carers.
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Lymphoedema Service
Lyphoedema is caused by a blockage in the lymph system that results in swollen limbs, this can impact hugely on a person’s physical and psychological well-being. Our Lymphoedema nursing team are able to offer a individually tailored service to patients suffering from lymphoedema. The principle aim of therapy is to rehabilitate the person to enable them to lead as an independent lifestyle as possible by teaching them skills to manage their swollen limbs. Most patients attending the clinic will come on a regular basis for at least a year. Referrals to this service are made through hospital consultants , GPs, and any specialist palliative care health worker working within St Lukes Services on behalf of patient and their carers.
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Marie Curie Service
We provide this service in partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care and with Plymouth and Devon Primary Care Trusts . The Marie Curie Service provides practical nursing support to patient and carers within their home setting during end of life care. This service is usually provided as part of a package of care to relieve and support families and carers. The service is available day or night, based on a minimum length of shift of 3 hours. The team operates a 7-day a week 9.00am-5.00pm service. GPs, District Nurses, Specialist Palliative Care Health Professionals and the Hospital discharge teams can make referrals to the service.
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Complementry and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Within Pearn, we are able to provide a range of CAM therapies on a outpatient basis to patients and their carers. The aim of these treatments is to help with an individuals sense of well being, by promoting relaxation or assisting in the relief of a physical symptom they may be suffering from. Treatments available include massage, reflexology, reiki, shiatsu, and homeopathy. These treatments are free of charge; any specialist palliative care health worker working within St Lukes Services can make referrals to this service on behalf of patient and their carers.
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Medical Outpatients
We run a number of medical outpatient sessions within Pearn and at the hospice site. Within the clinics patient and carers can see one of our specialist doctors. Patients come for a number of reasons, include assessment/management of symptoms, an opportunity to discuss what is happening to them both physically and psychologically. Referrals to this service are made through hospital consultants, GPs, and any specialist palliative care health worker working within St Lukes Services on behalf of patient and their carers.
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