The in-patient unit is situated in the main hospice building at Turnchapel. There are 20 inpatient beds, comprising four 4-bed wards and four single rooms.  Most rooms look out onto Plymouth Sound and all beds have their own television.  Phone calls can be taken at the bedside and there is a payphone available. There is free car parking and a hospice coffee shop is available with light snacks for visitors. The hospice has a no-smoking policy for staff and relatives/carers but there is a smoking room available for patients.

Referrals are taken from health care professionals and prioritised on the basis of patient need for symptom control, psycho-social support or terminal care.

The approach to care is holistic and centred on the needs of the individual patient. Physical, emotional, spiritual and psychosocial needs are considered.  Care is provided by a large multidisciplinary team that includes doctors, nurses, complementary therapists, lymphoedema nurses, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, chaplaincy team, social care team.  There is close liaison, when appropriate, with medical teams at Derriford Hospital.

There is a doctor on call for the unit at all times, but the doctor is not resident at night.  The hospice does not have resuscitation facilities.  In the event of a sudden unexpected deterioration in a patient’s condition, we would generally aim to provide supportive care to ensure that the patient is comfortable and free from pain and distress.  If more active treatment were felt to be appropritae, an urgent transfer to Derriford Hospital would be made.  There are no X-Ray/CT/MRI facilities at the hospice, but we can access these and other investigations at Derriford Hospital.

In the year to March 2007 we had 492 admissions, and just over half of these patients were discharged again after their symptoms were addressed.  Some patients were admitted more than once during this time.  The average length of stay on the unit was 11 days.