Expansion of Rapid Response Team

We have assembled a new Rapid Response Team to assist the St Helena Hospice.

We are delighted to announce our new Rapid Response team have started their work in Tendring.  We have recruited a completely new team which we have built as we continue to help local hospices to provide end-of-life care for their patients. The hospice, that cares for people from across north Essex with life-limiting illnesses, has recruited four more healthcare assistants to the home team, meaning the virtual ward can now support more people in their own homes.

Photo Credit: Essex County Standard (July 2022)

Working alongside us, St Helena Hospice provides personal care, free of charge for those thought to be in their last 12 weeks of life, visiting the patient up to four times each day in their own home.

The first Rapid Response team was inducted to help free up as many hospital beds to help during the Covid-19 pandemic. The hospice required our support to care for patients who needed personal care as they lived out their lives away from the virus and in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. The demand for these teams has increased since and we are delighted to see our third team assisting those who live in the Tendring area.

The virtual ward clinical nurse manager at St Helena, Becky Rix explained how the service can make a difference to people’s lives in their final days by allowing them to remain at home with their family, saying: “If someone’s personal preference is to be at home to die, Virtual Ward gives them that choice to remain at home with dignity. Having a professional coming into the home on a regular basis means someone is there keeping an eye on the patient and giving support to the person caring for them too.

Photo Credit: Essex County Standard (July 2022)

Our services ranges from 30 minutes to one hour of providing personal care. This includes making sure the customer feels comfortable and our care expands to also comforting the family and friends who visit. These visits carry on until the patient has passed away and we will be there to help keep them comfortable until that time comes.

We are very proud that Bluebird Care has been selected to carry out provide this care for the Tendring community. And we want to thank all of you in our Palliative team who are out there providing vital care in the community.

Anyone in need of St Helena Hospice service dan refer themselves for support via www.sthelena.org.uk/referrals or calling SinglePoint on 01206 890 360.