A team from Willen Hospice are celebrating as they mark their first birthday this week.
The charity’s ‘Willen at Home’ team was established a year ago to offer support to patients who wish to be cared for in their own surroundings.
Since their launch, the team which consists of clinical nurse specialists, health care assistants, registered nurses and doctors, has cared for around 900 patients, making 3,000 visits and over 10,000 phone calls.
Willen at Home provide a unique and highly specialised service to patients living with complex life limiting conditions. This includes prescribing appropriate medicines, developing care plans, providing pain management and psychological support that allows people to live in comfort, and if it is a patient’s wish to die at home, the team will support them to make that possible.
Chief Executive, Peta Wilkinson said: “Willen Hospice is far more than the work we do in our building at Willen Lake. Our work reaches far and deep into the community, which is where our Willen at Home team are so vital. They have had a fantastic first year, making such a difference to those they have cared for, and their families, who they have also supported and given confidence to.”
Sylvia experienced the care from Willen at Home when her husband Dennis was referred to the service. “Willen at Home were great. You could call on them any time and they would help. They gave me the confidence I needed to care for my husband in our own home. They were so happy and ready with a smile every day, which made such a difference.
“He wanted to die at home and not be on his own, and the care they provided really helped. The nurses do their best to alleviate any problems you’ve got and unlike other care providers, they don’t just do procedure. They’re flexible, they do whatever that patient or carer needs, and they totally understand your needs. I found it unbelievably helpful I really was gob smacked by the service. Thank you so much.”
Willen at Home brought together two previous teams – Hospice at Home and Community Nurse Specialists with aim of making sure a patient’s care is cohesive, responsive and individual to them.
