Hospice Nurse Specialists

Most seriously ill patients would prefer to remain in their own homes, cared for by thier families. Familieis are ofen willing and able to provide this care but they need support.

Our Hospice Nurse Specialists are professionally equipped to assist the family doctor and district nurse in giving this support to patients and families, many of whom will be facing very difficult situations.

The relief of pain or other symptoms is a key element in enabling many patients to remain at home. With their specialist training and knowledge of pain and symptom control, our specialist nurses work closely with the family doctor to find the right combination of drugs which will help to reduce pain and promote comfort.

Serious illness can cause emotional distress as well as physical problems. Our nurses endeavour to provide emotional support for patients and their carers and help them to come to terms with the situation.

Our nurses are on duty Monday to Friday 9.00a.m. - 5.00p.m. They work closely with a Consultant in Palliative Medicine.

Hospice Nurse Specialists are based in Belfast, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Magherafelt, Ballynahinch. Bangor, Omagh and Enniskillen. They cover the whole of the Eastern and Northern Health and Social Services Board Areas and in the Sperrin & Lakelands Trust area.

Click Here for contact details of Hospice Nurse Specialists.

Hospice at Home Nursing Service

Hands-on nursing care can also be provided in the patient's own home through our Hospice-at-Home Nursing Service. This service began in response to the wishes of many patients to spend their last days in the familiar surroundings of their own home. It offers practical nursing care, day and night, in the patient's home. The most common need is to give exhausted carers a break, especially when a patient's condition deteriorates rapidly or when distressing symptoms are difficult to control.

We try to ensure that, through this service, patients receive the same specialist nursing care they would receive in the In-Patient Unit at Hospice.

We were able to establish this service through a very generous grant from the Big Lottery Fund.