Palliative care


Macmillan unit volunteer and patient laughing


People living with an incurable and progressive illness have unique needs that require palliative care to achieve the best quality of life possible.

Most people are cared for by their community and hospital teams, but there are times when more expert skills are needed – that’s where we come in.

We provide services for patients in Southern Derbyshire and for patients in parts of Staffordshire and Leicestershire.

Services for patients in Derbyshire

Nightingale Macmillan (inpatient) Unit


The Nightingale Macmillan Unit (NMU) at Royal Derby Hospital is our specialist palliative care inpatient unit (hospice) for patients in Southern Derbyshire.

People living with an incurable and progressive illness are admitted following referral from a healthcare professional. The NMU multidisciplinary team is able to support patients and their families with symptoms and problems that have not improved with usual measures provided by community and hospital professionals. There are 21 beds and people usually stay for one to two weeks.


Location

Royal Derby Hospital
Level 1
Nearest entrance: 24
Nearest car park: 6


Contact us

Telephone:  01332 786 060


Watch our video for more information on the Nightingale Macmillan Unit at Royal Derby Hospital:
 

 

Ward 2

Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital is a non-specialist palliative care ward. It is a calm and caring place for people coming to the end of their life. Patients are transferred from Royal Derby Hospital, sometimes from the community or other areas, when it is recognised that they are deteriorating irreversibly and cannot be cared for at home or in a nursing home. Ward 2 is not a long term place of care - expected length of stay is up to 2 weeks.

Referrals are made by health care professionals.


Location

Florence Nightingale Community Hospital


Contact us

Telephone: 01332 258045

Hospital palliative care team

Our team of nurses and doctors specialise in palliative care, assessing patients in hospital and supporting the ward team in providing palliative care.

Assessments are made following referral from healthcare professionals.

Download our leaflet for more information:

Outpatient clinics


Patients living with an incurable and progressive illness can be seen by a consultant in palliative medicine in the outpatient setting.

Appointments are made following referrals from healthcare professionals.
 

Clinics are held at:

  • Ilkeston Community Hospital
  • Ripley Community Hospital
  • Royal Derby Hospital
  • Treetops Hospice, Risley


Contact us

Palliative medicine secretaries
Telephone:  01332 788 794
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm


Download our leaflet for more information:

Nightingale Macmillan Day Unit


Nightingale Macmillan Day Unit at Royal Derby Hospital provides a range of day therapies to help people live with an incurable, progressive illness.

Our Day therapies are currently undergoing re-development. More information will be available in the future.


Location

The Nightingale Macmillan Day Unit can be found on Level 1 at Royal Derby Hospital.

Nearest entrance: 24
Nearest car park: 6

Enhanced nursing home beds for palliative care

The Enhanced Beds team offers short term placements in selected nursing homes across Southern Derbyshire for people with palliative care needs. The service is suitable for patients who do not, or no longer, require the care of an acute hospital setting but would benefit from a period of 24 hour care within a Nursing Home with the support of a small team of palliative care nurses.

The service is available to patients who have a Southern Derbyshire GP. Referrals can be made by health and social care professionals. One of the Enhanced Beds nurses would visit the person at home or in hospital to discuss what support can be offered.

Location

Selected Nursing Homes across Southern Derbyshire.

Contact us

Telephone: 01332 258031

Out of hours advice lines


NMU Out of Hours Symptom Advice Line: 01332 786 040

Monday to Friday: 4pm - 9am, 24 hours at weekends

The Nightingale Macmillan Unit out of hours symptom advice line is provided by the palliative care nurses. It is available to patients, carers and  professionals.

Our aim is to support a person to manage their condition away from hospital by advising about symptoms and medications.

As the phone is staffed by nurses at work they may not be able to immediately answer your call. Please leave your name, telephone number and details of the person you are calling about. If a nurse has not returned your call after 20 minutes, please call again.


Other useful numbers

District nurse liaison: 01332 564 900
Macmillan Cancer Support (UK charity): 0808 808 00 00 (Mon to Fri 9am - 8pm)

 

Key contacts


Palliative Medicine Secretaries: 01332 788 794

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Services for patients in Staffordshire

Inpatient care


Patients who live in Staffordshire are referred to St Giles' Hospice or Katharine House Hospice by our healthcare professionals.

 
St Giles logo

katherine house hospice logo      


St Giles and Katharine House Hospice offer personalised inpatient care through a team of consultants, nurses and support staff. Facilities include landscaped gardens, personalised rooms and complementary therapies. 

Visit St Giles' Hospice website for more details (opens in new window) >

Visit Katherine House Hospice website for more details (opens in new window) >

Hospital palliative care team

Our team of nurses and doctors specialise in palliative care, assessing patients in hospital and supporting the ward team in providing palliative care.

Assessments are made following referral from healthcare professionals.

Hospital inpatients are seen at Queens Hospital, Burton; Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield and Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital, Tamworth.

Telephone: 01283 511 511 ext 5748 / 5034

Download more info on hospital palliative care services [pdf] (opens in new window) 139KB

Outpatient clinics

Patients living with an incurable and progressive illness can be seen by a consultant in palliative medicine as an outpatient.

Appointments are made following referrals from healthcare professionals.
 

Clinics are held at:

  • Queen's Hospital Burton
  • Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield
  • Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital, Tamworth


Contact us

Oncology / Palliative medicine secretaries;
Telephone:  01283 511 511 ext 3238 / 5763  

 

Download our leaflet for more information:

Out of hours advice (for patients and their carers)

Please contact St Giles' Hospice advice line for out of hours support: 0300 330 9410


Other useful numbers

Macmillan Cancer Support (UK charity): 0808 808 00 00 (Mon to Fri 9am - 8pm)

 

Services for patients in Leicestershire

Community palliative care

For patients who live in Leicestershire, community palliative care is provided by the Leicestershire Community Palliative Care CNS team.

Telephone: 0300 300 7777