Palliative care

The ward team will let you know about any changes in your loved one’s condition. They may, at some point, explain that although all appropriate treatment has been given, sadly your relative or friend is dying. Everything possible will be done to keep them comfortable and to support you.

This information tells you what to expect and how we care for someone in their last hours or days of life.

People can feel numb after hearing that someone is dying and find it hard to take in information. Doctors, nurses and others will update you regularly. We welcome your questions, so please let staff know if there is anything you need.

Please feel free to contact the ward by phone at any time of day or night. 

Every effort will be made to meet the wishes of your relative or friend at this time.

You will be free to visit at any time and have access to discounted car parking. If you want to stay overnight, we will make you feel as comfortable as possible, offering you a camp bed or recliner, toiletries, food and drinks. It is important to look after yourself.

You may wish to bring in comforting things from home such as photographs, music or a duvet. It may be possible for a pet to visit so please discuss this with us. 

The Purple Butterfly rooms are specialist rooms which have been designed with end of life care in mind. 

Your loved one may be offered to move to a Purple Butterfly room. The rooms include a bedroom for your loved one, and a separate kitchenette and en-suite for family or friends. This gives you comfort and privacy when spending time with your loved one.

As we only have a limited number of Purple Butterfly rooms, there may not always be one available. We do offer other options depending on the situation, such as going to the hospice.

We offer a ‘rapid discharge from hospital to home’. 

This is designed to support the wishes of patients in their last days or weeks of life, when they do not wish to stay in hospital. This may be going to their own home, the home of someone important to them, or their usual residential or nursing home.

The aim is for your loved one to be cared for, comfortable and peaceful in the place of their choice in the final stages of their life. 

All our care will be focused on comfort.

We will not disturb your relative or friend with lots of tests or observations, but we will regularly assess them for any signs of pain, nausea, breathlessness or agitation. 

We can give medicines to relieve these symptoms and make them comfortable, sometimes through a syringe driver. A syringe driver is a small battery powered pump. It gives a steady flow of medicines through a small tube just under their skin on their arm, leg, tummy, or back. 

We might stop giving them other medicines that are not helping them.

Part of the normal process of dying includes a reduced desire to eat and drink. Your relative or friend will be supported to eat and drink for as long as possible, and we encourage them to taste food for pleasure.

We will provide regular mouth care and may ask if you would like to help give this care.

Their breathing may become shallower as their life approaches its end. There may be long pauses between breaths for a period of time, especially the nearer to death someone is. This varies greatly from person to person and is usually unnoticed by them. 
Some people may make a noise as they are breathing. This is often because they are no longer able to swallow or cough up the normal fluids in their mouth, throat or chest and it can cause a rattling sound. Your relative or friend will usually not be aware of the sound. Sometimes a change in their position can help, and medication can be given too.

Many people become drowsy and eventually completely unconscious. Hearing is the last sense to go at the end of life; they may still be able to hear you, so do continue to talk to them if you would like to.

Restlessness or agitation can be caused by physical problems such as constipation or by emotional or spiritual distress. Having loved ones with them and being in a quiet environment can help their restlessness. 

The person’s skin may feel cooler and become very pale in colour. We will offer blankets to you and your loved one.  

This is a very emotional time and you may want to talk with someone about your feelings, anxieties or beliefs. Our Chaplaincy Team is always available to provide spiritual and pastoral care, listen and share with you. You do not have to be religious to benefit from their support.

Within the hospital, we have representatives from most faiths available by request. Please let the ward team know if you wish to contact them.

Children are welcome to visit your loved one with you. 

On request, we can provide information booklets and resources to support children when someone close to them is dying. These are available from the ward staff and the Supportive Care Team.

We will offer you a memory box in the hospital. 

Both children and adults can find it helpful at a time like this to create positive memories for the future. 

The box can include anything you wish to make it personal to you. We can offer a fingerprint, lock of hair or recording of your loved one's heartbeat if you wish. If you would like more information about this, please speak to a member of staff.

If your loved one dies in a way that means organ donation is a possibility, a specialist nurse will access the NHS Organ Donor Register to see if they had registered a decision.

By donating organs, people can go on to save up to nine lives. If your loved one had not registered to become an organ donor, this will be respected. 

People on the Organ Donor Register can choose to donate their tissues to help repair and rebuild the bodies and lives of severely injured people. You can donate tissue after you die and this may include cornea (eye), heart valves, skin, bone and tendons.  

More information about organ and tissue donation.

You will be given a bereavement book which will guide you through the practical and emotional steps you need to take.