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In-Patient Care
Our 16-bed In-Patient Unit provides outstanding care for patients who are finding it difficult to get their symptoms under control, as well as for people who are entering their last days of life. We treat each person in our care with dignity and respect and our multi-disciplinary team work hard to provide the best possible care, 24 hours a day.
What We Offer
We provide individualised care for 16 in-patients in a warm, welcoming environment. Accommodation is available in single rooms or in a three or four bed bay, each offering access to the landscaped gardens.
You will be assessed by the nursing and medical team who will discuss a plan of treatment and care with you. They will involve other members of the multi-disciplinary team to meet your needs.
Our Team
You will be cared for by a team of highly skilled doctors and nurses, working closely with other members of our multi-disciplinary team including Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Family Care, Spiritual Care and Complementary Therapies. They will treat all the information they have about you in strict confidence.
How We Can Help
We can help with all aspects of symptom management and psychological support. The average length of stay in the hospice is 12 days. Some people stay for longer or shorter periods of time.
The Kirkwood are unable to provide long term care. The team will work with you and your family or carer when planning your discharge and will involve your GP, district nurses and any other services you may need.
Your family or friends may help with your care if you wish them to.
Your families and friends can visit you at any time. Please speak to the nursing team if you find having too many visitors is tiring. The nursing team will manage this for you.
Enquiries about your care should be made through the Hospice reception (Tel: 01484 557900). Calls will then be transferred to the nurses caring for you. We will only give information to the people you want us to.
We are able to transfer calls to the Hospice to a mobile phone so you can speak to the caller yourself. You are also permitted to use your own mobile phone. We ask that you are mindful of disturbing other patients.
Smoking
There is a room where only in-patients may smoke. In order to use this room you must be able to access and use it independently and safely. Meals and drinks cannot be served in the Smoking room and care or treatment by any member of staff cannot be given here.
E-cigarettes
Due to safety concerns and potential hazards, e-cigarettes cannot be charged in the Hospice. Your visitors may bring you fully charged e-cigarettes but these must be used in the designated room for smoking.
The Smoking room will be closed daily between 1.00pm and 2.00pm for cleaning.
Any visitors wishing to smoke must leave the Hospice grounds. This rule also applies to those wishing to use e-cigarettes.
Infection Prevention and Control
The safety of those in our care is very important. We will always inform you and your visitors if we need to take extra precautions during your care. Hand hygiene is the most effective method of preventing the spread of infection from person to person. Hand sanitiser is readily available on the In-Patient Unit.
Find out more
If you would like more information about In-Patient Care, please call: 01484 557 900.
If you would like to print this information, you can find a link to our In-Patient Care leaflet at the foot of this page.