Queenscourt In-Patient Unit
What is this service?
Our Inpatient Unit provides specialist care to patients with life limiting illnesses & specialist palliative care needs and offers support to their families, friends and carers. If you are referred as an inpatient at Queenscourt you’ll stay in either one of our Wards (Woodside and Lakeside) or one of our two single en-suite rooms, according to clinical need.
What facilities are available?
We have two four bedded wards with three shower rooms for each with the flexibility to convert a room into a single en-suite. We also have two large bathrooms with bath stretchers and Jacuzzi baths. Each bed space has its own wardrobe, bedside storage unit, easy chair, over-bed table, arm mounted TV screen, radio, headphones and iPod. Each bed space also has access to our beautiful gardens and lake via its own patio doors.
How do I access this service?
In order to be admitted to Queenscourt you need to be referred to us via our Medical Director through your GP or hospital consultant. Reasons for admission are based on clinical need and may include multi-professional assessment for symptom control, complex medication titration, support for patients and families trying to re-adapt to a rapidly changing condition or rehabilitation following some treatments.
Queenscourt does not provide respite care, long term care or a place of choice for care at the end of life (dying), however the nursing homes in our local area provide these services to an excellent standard. The skills of our multi-professional team are required for dealing with more complex situations.
Who provides this service?
Our specialist services are provided by our highly skilled and qualified multi-professional team, led by a Consultant in Palliative Medicine. The majority of our doctors and senior nurses have, or are currently working towards post graduate qualifications in the speciality.
Our clinical team is supported by a qualified catering team who provide nourishing and appetising food according to the patient’s needs and wishes. They are supported by our housekeepers who maintain cleanliness within Queenscourt to avoid infection.
How long will I stay as an inpatient?
Queenscourt provides a short inpatient stay for a specific purpose with discharge to home or care home planned from the day of admission. The average length of admission to Queenscourt is just over a week.
Sixty five percent of our patients are discharged home or to a care home following their stay. Decisions about discharge are made by the clinical team according to the clinical situation and are fully discussed with the patient and whichever family members or carers they choose to involve in those discussions.
Following discharge, patients may be referred to Queenscourt Connect, Queenscourt at Home or our Outpatient clinic for on-going continuity of care and may be followed up at home or in hospital by members of the Palliative Care Team.
Can my family visit me when I’m an inpatient?
Visitors are welcome at Queenscourt hospice as we recognise the important part they play in the care and support of our patients.
Visiting times are between 1pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm every day. Testing for Covid-19 is not required, but we do ask that anyone with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 or symptoms of a respiratory illness does not visit the hospice.
Visitors are strongly encouraged to wear a mask whilst in the hospice to help ensure our patients, staff, volunteers, and wider community are kept safe and hand hygiene remains of upmost importance. Visiting outside of these hours will be assessed on an individual basis dependant on patients on clinical need
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to speak with the nurse in charge or a senior member of the clinical team.