Palliative care is specialist support for people living with an illness that cannot be cured. It aims to make you as comfortable as possible by managing pain and other distressing symptoms, while also supporting your emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
Palliative care can be provided by doctors, nurses, therapists, and carers. It’s about focusing on the whole person – not just the illness – and supporting families too. It helps people live as well as possible, for as long as possible, by looking at the challenges an illness may cause and finding ways to improve quality of life.
Some people worry that palliative care means stopping all treatment, but this is not the case. You can still receive medical or surgical treatments alongside palliative care if they may help you feel better.
Palliative care can begin at any stage of an illness, and some people benefit from this support for many years.
End of life care is a part of palliative care and focuses on people who are thought to be in the last year of their life.
What does the hospital specialist palliative care team do?
Some patients have more complex needs that require the support of a hospital-based specialist palliative care team.
Our consultant-led team of doctors and nurses works 7 days a week to support adult patients with complex or unmet palliative care needs. We aim to promote your physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being by offering:
- Expert advice on managing pain and other symptoms
- Help with making informed choices about your care and what matters most to you
- Guidance on practical matters such as financial support
If you or your loved one might benefit from a palliative care review, please speak with the hospital team looking after you. They can refer you to our specialist team.
This leaflet explains more about the service.
Other Palliative Care Services in Leicester
- LOROS Hospice – We work closely with LOROS, the local hospice in Leicester, which provides expert care and support for patients and families.
- Leicester Integrated Community Palliative Care Team – This service supports people living at home, in care homes, or nursing homes.