NHS Trust establishes partnership with children’s hospices to support more families

Categories: Care.

Beginning in January 2016, the three organisations will work together to offer families regular respite care, allowing them a break while community nurses take care of the child’s medical needs.

The service is to be funded through charitable donations and will be available to families across Swindon and North Wiltshire. Families can refer themselves to the new service, with professionals involved in supporting the families and their child also able to refer.

All three organisations are looking forward to the new partnership, pleased with the opportunity to support more families.

“At Naomi House we believe that by working in partnership with other charities and healthcare organisations we can provide a greater quality and scope of service to meet the needs of local families,” said Mark Smith, chief executive of Naomi House.

“By providing an integrated service with the NHS and other partners, families receive a more joined-up service and have access to a wider range of support and expertise.”

Chris Roys, chief executive officer for Jessie May, added: “All of the children we aim to support have a limited life expectancy as well as complex health needs. Being able to choose to remain at home surrounded by family and friends and to die at home when the time comes is so important.

“There are no second chances. The highly trained and experienced Jessie May nurses working with colleagues in the NHS and at Naomi House Children’s Hospice will enable children and families in Swindon and Wiltshire to have greater choice.”

Sarah Merritt, divisional director of nursing in the women and children’s division at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that her organisation was “privileged” to be working with Naomi House and Jessie May, adding that they already “make a massive difference to local children and their families at extremely difficult times.”

She continued: “This enhanced new service will help us to provide more flexible, high quality and personalised care to local families and we look forward to seeing the difference it will make.”

More information about the new service, and other services provided by the hospices, can be found on the Naomi House and Jessie May websites.

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