The West Lothian Palliative Care Service, which was launched this week, is based at The Macmillan Centre at St John’s Hospital in Livingston.
Macmillan invested over £500,000 refurbishing the centre to provide privacy and dignity for patients and their families, as well as improving clinical efficiency and creating a welcoming environment.
The service will offer a range of free specialist support and advice for patients and the people caring for them – whether in hospital, in their own home, in a community hospital or in a care home.
Marie Curie and NHS Lothian clinical and support staff, supported by a consultant in palliative medicine and a team of health and social care professionals, have begun delivering community services. Day and outpatient services will start at the beginning of August.
West Lothian patients and their families will now have access to high quality palliative and end of life care and support in their community including information and advice, emotional and spiritual assistance, pain management, and guidance to help plan ahead.
Nichola Summers, Marie Curie Divisional General Manager, Scotland, explains: “The new service will deliver the best possible care for West Lothian residents, enabling them to spend as much time as possible at home, where most people tell us they most want to be. Bringing professionals together in much closer working partnerships than ever before, it will ensure that care is individual to the patient and their family. We couldn’t do this without the generous support of the public and we hope that local residents will be inspired to donate when they see the impact it brings.”
Gill Cottrell, Chief Nurse of West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership, said: “We are committed to providing the best possible range of palliative care services for people in Lothian who are living with cancer, or other progressive illnesses, and that is why we are working with Macmillan and Marie Curie to create this rounded service.”
Elspeth Atkinson, Macmillan Director in Scotland, added: “We are delighted to be working with NHS Lothian and Marie Curie to provide people in West Lothian with the highest level of care both, in the Centre, and the community. We couldn’t do this without the continued support and dedication from people locally who work so hard to raise money for Macmillan and help us ensure that nobody faces cancer alone.”
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