Lindsey Lodge Hospice and Healthcare launched its new-look Outpatient Service on Monday 3 April 2023.
Patients referred to the service will now be offered two distinct pathways – Health based, or Wellbeing based following their initial assessment and linked to the individual goals they decide to set with guidance from the Lindsey Lodge medical team.
Lindsey Lodge’s outpatient facilities operate from its Wellbeing Centre, based at the Hospice and provide care for adults aged 18 years and over, who are registered with a North Lincolnshire GP and have a life-limiting or terminal condition in advanced, or progressive stages.
They offer holistic support with both the physical and emotional symptoms, along with goal setting, advanced care planning, memory work and access to social group work and activities. They also provide specialist support for patients who may have difficulties with their care needs, or who have frequent hospital admissions due to a specific symptom, as well as those patients where a recent diagnosis requires radical treatment, which may have overwhelming symptoms.
Lindsey Lodge Clinical Director Helen Turner said: “We are excited to be launching our new-look Wellbeing Service.
“We have introduced a new referral form, which is available to download from our website
here and provides a single point of access into the service into our Hospice Co-ordination Centre.
“All outpatients will be triaged by our therapy / medical team to understand their individual patient-led goals, before being offered two distinct routes into our service, which we believe will improve their overall patient experience.”
Patients who follow the Wellbeing pathway, will be supported by Lindsey Lodge’s healthcare assistants and advanced assistants, who will provide an environment that will enhance their overall psychological wellbeing, through regular social interaction, and meaningful activities. It will offer an opportunity to explore reintegration in the community, help to alleviate boredom, prevent social isolation and provide much-needed carer support.
Helen said: “We’ll be offering a daily plan of activities including chair based exercise, crafting, gardening, memory making, visualisation and relaxation, which patients can attend, as well as time set aside each day for clinics with our medical team and advanced care practitioners.”
The Health pathway will offer patients interventions led by their own individual specific goals and incorporate an in-depth holistic assessment, with standardised outcome measures. These will be delivered through outpatient appointments and reviewed within the period agreed at the point of assessment.
Helen said: “This patient centred approach offers patients the opportunity to set their own goals, and review their progress.
“Our medical team and advanced care practitioners will provide oversight and guidance with intervention to support achievement of their goals, with time set aside to review all patients on a weekly basis with individual case workers.”
She added: “We will work closely with local health partners to ensure patients who are eligible for our service, receive the best possible care and support.”
For more information about the Outpatient Service, please contact Lindsey Lodge by phoning 01724 270835 and asking for Operational Matron Karen Andrew or Advanced Care Practitioner Sarah Hodge.