Palliative Care On The Ward

Everyone who is admitted to Forest Holme is under the care of one of the consultants in palliative medicine and will normally be seen by their consultant at least once during their stay. In addition, there is a Speciality Doctor and a junior doctor who is a GP in training. You will see a doctor shortly after you arrive and on most weekdays. At weekends and overnight there is a consultant on call (the rota is shared with the consultants at the Macmillan Unit in Christchurch). A junior hospital doctor also covers the ward.

The ward has a mixture of single and shared rooms, all equipped to the same specifications with televisions. En-suite facilities are available within the five single rooms. There is a comfortable lounge area, a kitchen and an overnight room for relatives. A quiet courtyard garden provides a peaceful and relaxing environment for all.

Our ward team is led by the Matron for Oncology and Palliative Care and a ward sister with a team of staff nurses and health care assistants, who ensure that high quality of care is provided. In addition during your stay, you can access counselling and psychological support, lymphoedema advice, therapy input such as occupational therapy, social workers, dieticians, chaplains and other staff from Poole Hospital. We also have very good links with the pain team and other specialists at Poole Hospital who are on hand to give helpful advice when needed.

The ward team is also supported by our wonderful volunteers who help to provide a warm, relaxing and welcoming environment for patients and their families.

Families can continue to share in care if they so wish and if needed arrangements can be made for family members to stay in the relatives’ overnight accommodation, at the discretion of the ward sister.

We aim to be relaxed and flexible and are always open to questions and suggestions.

If you would like to contact a member of staff on the ward, please telephone 0300 019 8147 for assistance.