Anticipatory Prescribing: information for patients and carers

This advice is sourced from Dr Ros Taylor a senior palliative physician

Q. What are the medicines that we have been given to keep at home and how do they work? 

It is essential to anticipate symptoms in advance and prescribe carefully to keep people safely at home in their final days.

Prescribing a small number of injections to cover common symptoms such as pain, nausea and vomiting, anxiety and breathing problems is important.

They are very useful if someone is unable to swallow their medicines towards the end of life.

The intention is to relieve suffering not to hasten death.

Please see the leaflet from Harlington Hospice (see downloads) for further information.

Share

Downloads

Related Services

24 hour Advice Line Michael Sobell Hospice
Close

24 hour Advice Line Michael Sobell Hospice

T. 0203 824 1268

Offers support and advice on palliative care issues to GPs, Care Homes, District Nurses and hospital doctors.

It is also an Advice Line for patients and families who live in Hillingdon and need advice on any aspect of palliative care. 

The Advice Line is answered by hospice nurses in the Inpatient Unit and queries are escalated to the on-call palliative medical team if needed.

Brent North Community Palliative Care Team - based at St Luke's
Close

Brent North Community Palliative Care Team - based at St Luke's

T. 020 8382 8013

North Brent Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurse team provides advice and visiting to palliative care patients in North Brent. The team is based at St Lukes Hospice.

Areas: Queensbury, Fryent, Welsh Harp, Barnhill, Kenton, Northwick Park, Preston, Sudbury, Wembley Central, Alperton, Tokyngton

The team can be contacted for referrals Monday to Sunday 8.30am to 4.30pm. 

After 4.30pm the Out of Hours Telephone Advice line 020 8382 8000 operates and calls will be taken by a nurse on St Lukes inpatient unit

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Brent South Community Palliative Care Team - based at Pembridge Hospice
Close

Brent South Community Palliative Care Team - based at Pembridge Hospice

T. 020 8102 5000

South Brent Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurse Team provides advice and visiting to palliative care patients in South Brent. The team are based at Pembridge Hospice

Areas: Harlesden, Willesden, Kilburn, Neasden (south of north circular Brent, except the St Raphael's Estate) 

The team can be contacted for referrals Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm. Weekends and Bank Holidays 9.00am to 5.00pm.  

Between Monday to Friday 5.00pm and 8.30am, the Out of Hours Telephone Advice line 020 8102 5000 takes calls. Weekends and Bank Holidays 5.00pm to 9.00am.

All referrals to be made via SPA email address.

For any other email correspondence. clcht.pembridgeunit@nhs.net.

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Care Place
Close

London Borough of Hounslow publishes a regular factsheet called Information for Carers. It lists local, national and council services, voluntary organisations and other sources of advice and support that may be useful if you look after someone as an unpaid carer.

Community Palliative Care Team - based at Meadow House Hospice
Close

Community Palliative Care Team - based at Meadow House Hospice

T. 020 8967 5179

W. http://meadowhouse.lnwh.nhs.uk/our-services/community-team/

The Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurse Team provides advice and visiting to palliative care patients in Ealing and Hounslow. The team are based at Meadow House Hospice.

The team will visit patients with progressive life limiting illness in their own homes. They provide specialist advice around pain and symptom control and support for patients, their families, and carers during the last stages of illness. They also support patients wishing to die at home through coordination with GPs and hospital teams.

The team is comprised of medical consultants, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, a bereavement support officer and a patient and carer advocacy worker

The team can be contacted for referrals Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Between Monday to Friday 5.00pm and 8.30am, the Out of Hours Telephone Advice line 020 8102 5000 takes calls. Weekends and Bank Holidays 5.00pm to 9.00am.

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Community Palliative Care Team - based at St. John's Hospice
Close

Community Palliative Care Team - based at St. John's Hospice

T. 020 7806 4040

St. John's Hospice provides advice and visiting palliative care patients for some parts of Central London.

Referrals can be made Monday to Sunday 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Community Palliative Care Team (South) - Royal Trinity
Close

Community Palliative Care Team (South) - Royal Trinity

T. 020 7787 1062

Royal Trinity Hospice (South) provides advice and visiting palliative care patients of Hammersmith and Fulham, Central London and West London.

They can be contacted 8am -8pm  7 days a week.

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Ealing Carers
Close

Your Voice in Health and Social Care (YVHSC) are providing the Ealing Carers Service to support carers who have caring responsibilities living within the borough of Ealing.

Harrow Carers
Close

Harrow Carers is an independent charity and voluntary organisation and has been the lead carers’ support agency in Harrow since 1996. Support and services are available to anyone who cares for people in the community who are ill, frail, disabled and disadvantaged.

Harrow Community Palliative Care
Close

Harrow Community Palliative Care

T. 020 8102 6163

Harrow Community Specialist Palliative Care Team (LNWHT) provides advice and visiting to palliative care patients in Harrow.

They can be contacted Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.

They are based at Honeypot Lane Health Centre, 839 Honeypot Lane, HA7 1AT.

Out of Hours the Pall24 Helpline can be used 3000 200 224

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Hillingdon Community Palliative Care Team
Close

Hillingdon Palliative Care Team (hosted by NHS CNWL) provides specialist advice and visiting to palliative care patients living in Hillingdon. Each GP practice has their own named Clinical Nurse Specialist ( CNS ). A Triage CNS manages calls and referrals each day and they have the option to escalate to consultants if needed.

They can be contacted Monday to Friday 8.00am to 4.30pm excluding bank holidays.

Out of hours phone Michael Sobell Hospice 24 hour Advice Line on 020 3824 1268

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)
Pembridge Community Palliative Care Team (North)
Close

Pembridge Community Palliative Care Team (North)

T. 0208 102 5383 / 0208 102 5000 (out of hours)

Pembridge Community Palliative Nurse Team (North) provides advice and visiting palliative care patients of Hammersmith and Fulham, Central London and West London.

They can be contacted Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm.

Referral form for clinician use only.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Referral Form V4.1 (DOCX)

Related Articles

24th October 2024

What to expect when someone close to you is in their final days

Feedback