You can now refer a patient using our online forms
Healthcare professionals can refer a patient to St Richard’s Hospice for all our services by completing an online referral form.
You can also call our Advice and Guidance team on 01905 763963 (option 1) to discuss any concerns or questions you may have before completing the form.
- Urgent patient referrals
- Refer into Hospice at Home
- Refer into Living Well Services
- Refer into In-patient Unit
- Refer into Family Support Services
- Refer into Bereavement Support
- FAQs
Urgent patient referrals
Please complete our online referral form and call our Advice and Guidance team on 01905 763963 (option 1).
This team triages all patient referrals received through the online form and is staffed by Senior Staff Nurses and Hospice Support Coordinators. Urgent referrals are for patients only; we aren’t able to offer urgent bereavement support for families and bereaved people.
Integrated community services
Our community services include Hospice at Home and Living Well.
The Hospice at Home Team assesses and supports patients in their own homes or as outpatients at the hospice. They provide specialist symptom management and end-of-life care. The team is staffed by Clinical Nurse Specialists, Senior Staff Nurses and Senior Healthcare Assistants.
The Living Well Team offers therapeutic outpatient sessions at the hospice, including symptom management, advance care planning, exercise and more. The team consists Of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Complementary Therapists, and Therapy Support Assistants.
Please use our online referral form to refer a patient for these services.
In-patient Unit
Our In-patient Unit provides specialist 24-hour support at the hospice for people with complex illnesses who need symptom control or end-of-life care.
Our ability to admit a patient depends on factors like the availability of beds and the needs of the patients already under our care.
If it’s appropriate, we’ll discuss the plan for discharge with the patient soon after their admission.
Please use our online referral form to refer a patient to our unit. If you have any questions or would like support to complete the form, call our Advice and Guidance Team on 01905 763963 (option 1).
Family Support Services
St Richard’s Family Support
Our Family Support Services offer emotional, practical, and spiritual support to patients already known to hospice palliative care services, and to the people important to them, including children.
We can offer support before and after the death of a loved one.
Bereavement Support South Worcestershire (BSSW)
BSSW offers bereavement support for adults and children who have experienced the traumatic or unexpected death of a loved one, for example through suicide or cardiac arrest.
Support is offered in a group setting after an assessment to make sure this is appropriate. Self-care strategies may be offered to people in early bereavement.
To make a referral for either service, please:
- Review the criteria for referral below
- Complete our dedicated online referral form.
You can also call the Family Support and Bereavement Line, open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2pm on 01905 763963 (option 1), for advice.
Click to view Family Support and Bereavement Support South Worcestershire referral criteria
Bereavement Support South Worcestershire offers support to grieving adults between three months and three years following a bereavement.
For St Richard’s Hospice Bereavement Service, support can be offered at any point in a person’s grief journey.
For both services, people aged under 18 can be referred at any stage following their bereavement. Referrals can be made by a parent or guardian, or professional.
Our staff are trained to work therapeutically in pre and post bereavement care. The safety and wellbeing of each individual is paramount. Therefore, it is essential that we work within our skillset and competence as professionals. This safeguards both individuals and professionals.
We are:
- unlikely to support individuals who are actively suicidal, self-harming, or at high risk.
- unlikely to be able to offer support if another external agency is providing therapeutic support, e.g. Mental health
- unlikely to support if clients are actively using substances to cope/manage. This needs to be under control and well managed before we can accept the referral.
- St Richard’s Hospice and Bereavement Support South Worcestershire are unlikely to offer urgent pre and post bereavement support.
If we are not able to offer support we will signpost individuals to other services so they can access the right support at the right time.
We will:
- consider each individual. If it is determined that an individual does not meet the criteria for our service we will we will look at alternative options including signposting, and may on occasion offer a brief intervention if appropriate.
- signpost individuals and health professionals to specialist services, both local and national.
- offer training in pre-and-post bereavement support for external staff by the St Richard’s Learning Team
Frequently asked questions
Who do we care for?
We offer free care to adults with an illness that cannot be cured, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment, and to their last days. We also support family members, and bereaved people.
Most patients will have advanced, progressive disease, where the focus of care will have changed from curative to palliative and prognosis is limited. Some patients with complex needs are referred earlier in their disease journey.
When is a patient referral appropriate?
Not everyone with an illness that cannot be cured will need specialist palliative care or hospice services. A demonstrable need for specialist palliative care must be established.
Referral is appropriate where:
- Pain or other symptoms are difficult to control despite intervention
- It is difficult to meet the psychological, social and spiritual needs of the patient, family or significant others
- Care in the last days of life where additional support is required
The hospice In-patient Unit is not able to provide rehabilitation facilities, planned respite or long-term care.
Where do we care?
All our services are available free of charge to people registered with a South Worcestershire GP (for example in Worcester, Droitwich, Pershore, Evesham, Malvern, Tewkesbury, Broadway, Martley and surrounding areas.)
The St Richard’s In-patient Unit cares for people across Worcestershire including those living in the Wyre Forest, Kidderminster, Redditch and Bromsgrove areas.
Do I have to pay for your services?
No, all our care is available free of charge thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters who fund the majority of our services.
