Palliative Care referrals

Palliative care is provided at the John Radcliffe Hospital and Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford or Horton General Hospital, Banbury and Katharine House, Adderbury.

Specialist palliative care is for patients and families coping with cancer or other end-of-life diseases. It is a resource for GPs and the Primary Care Team (PCT) offering support in continuing to care for patients at home. Early referral is encouraged. We are able to advise and support patients who are still receiving palliative anti-cancer treatment, e.g. radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Patient leaflets are available.

Referrals

Make a referral - sobellhouse.org

Brodey Cancer Centre
Horton General Hospital, Banbury

Tel: 01295 224195

Email: hortonpalliativecare@ouh.nhs.uk

Horton General Hospital palliative care referral form (Word, 48 KB)

Referral may be to the Consultants or Hospital CNS:

Dr Mary Miller
Dr Timothy Harrison
Dr Bee L Wee
Dr Charlie Bond
Dr Beth MacGregor

Outpatient appointments can be arranged at Sobell House or in the patients' homes.

Suggested referral criteria

Difficult symptoms (current or anticipated).
Persisting anxiety, depression, psychological problems in patient or partner.
Additional support for home care, e.g. Day Hospice.
Where inpatient terminal care is anticipated and no local facility exists.
When patient and/or family are anticipated to have difficulties managing alone, e.g:
- young families
- other illness in family
- recent bereavement
- unemployment
- alcohol or drug abuse.
Particular cancers including intracerebral tumours; head and neck cancer.
Long natural history of advanced disease, e.g.
- Metastatic bone disease in breast/prostate cancer
- Recurrent pelvic tumours
- Cancer related lymphoedema.

The service is multi-professional, aiming to meet the many physical, psychological and social problems of patients.

The team includes the following.

Four consultants in palliative medicine (Oxford), one in Banbury, and junior staff
Head Nurse, Ward Manager and inpatient nursing teams
Hospital Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)
Lymphoedema Nurse Specialists (Sobell and Katharine House)
Physiotherapist
Occupational Therapists
Social Workers
Bereavement Service
Chaplain
Psycho-oncology CNS (Churchill Hospital only)
Voluntary Service Co-ordinator
Inpatient and Day Hospice Volunteers

Services available

Advice on symptom control
This can be a one-hour outpatient consultation (transport may be arranged) or a domiciliary visit which can usually be arranged within a few days. Telephone advice is always available.
Inpatients
Admission can usually be arranged within 1-5 days for symptom control, rehabilitation, respite or terminal care. The average stay is 12 days, with 50 percent of patients being discharged home.
Continuing Care
Community Clinical Nurse Specialists (Macmillan Nurses) are available to provide advice and support to patients, carers and Primary Care Teams (seven day service).
Day Hospice
Day care is offered five days a week at Sobell House, Oxford, and Katharine House, Adderbury, Banbury, and Witney Day Hospice (Tuesdays only) in Witney Community Hospital. Both centres offer support, rehabilitation, massage, relaxation, music and art therapy. Volunteer transport can be arranged for both centres.
Psychological help
The consultant post in psychological medicine is currently frozen, and there is a Clinical Nurse Specialist only one day/week. Our service would try to help with most routine issues and advice about further specialist help.
Bereavement support
This is available for advice to professionals, families and carers. Trained volunteer support workers assist at-risk bereaved carers of our patients.
Lymphoedema
Please refer directly to lymphoedema clinics: Sobell House (cancer and non-malignant patients), or Katharine House (cancer patients only).