Palliative Care

Aintree University Hospital Specialist Palliative Care team 

Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. If you have an enquiry about an inpatient in Aintree University Hospital, telephone the Team on 0151 529 2098. For urgent enquires on Saturday, Sunday, and bank holidays, 9am-5pm call the operator on 0151 525 5980 and ask them to page the on-call Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist. Alternatively, contact IMPaCT (see below).

Integrated Mersey Palliative Care team (IMPaCT)

Liverpool and South Sefton – 0300 100 1002 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) If you call outside Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, or at weekends, you will reach our 24-hour advice line. If you need support urgently, we will make sure you get it as soon as possible. 

SWAN End of Life and Bereavement team

You can page the SWAN Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialists, via the operator, by calling - 0151 706 2000
Monday to Friday, 8am-7pm (including bank holidays). Alternatively, email the team on SWAN@liverpoolft.nhs.uk

Every effort will be made to respond to your calls at the earliest opportunity.

Broadgreen Hospital Specialist Palliative Care team

Monday to Sunday, 9am-5pm If you have an enquiry about an inpatient in the Royal Liverpool University Hospital or Broadgreen Hospital, telephone the team on 0151 706 2274. If you reach the answerphone, someone will get back to you at the earliest opportunity. Outside of these hours contact IMPaCT.

Royal Liverpool University Hospital Specialist Palliative Care team

Monday to Sunday, 9am-5pm If you have an enquiry about an inpatient in the Royal Liverpool University Hospital or Broadgreen Hospital, telephone the team on 0151 706 2274. If you reach the answerphone, someone will get back to you at the earliest opportunity. Outside of these hours contact IMPaCT.

For hospital inpatients

The ward team caring for you or your loved one refers to the Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team. If you are known to the team, you may be able to speak to them directly with the number provided in the service contact information section

For IMPaCT

The health professionals involved in your care can link you in with this service. Alternatively, you may self-refer on the IMPaCT number provided in the service contact information section.

Social Care Support

If you are concerned about the wellbeing and social care needs of a relative or require care for yourself, you may be eligible for Social Care Support.

Liverpool City Council Careline Adult Services manages all adult social care enquiries and referrals. You can contact them 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0151 233 3800.

If the person requiring assessment and support lives outside of the Liverpool area, please contact local social services for a needs assessment.

You may wish to seek advice and enquire about support in your local area, to do so visit the Carers Trust, or call 0300 772 9600,  Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Further information on social care and support, please visit the NHS website.

Planning your future care (Advance Care Planning)

It can be helpful to think about your preferences and wishes for future care, and to share your thoughts with family or health professionals involved in your care. This might include things like where you would like to be cared for, or decisions about what you would want to happen if you were unable to make decisions for yourself in the future. Advance Care Planning is one way of making your wishes known. For more information speak to your health professional or read this Gold Standards Framework leaflet.

Complete and print your Advance Care Plan here.

Other useful links

• Dying Matters
• Hospice UK
• IMPaCT Merseyside
• Macmillan Cancer support
• Marie Curie
• Palliative Care for People with Learning Disabilities
• Woodlands Hospice.

A facility called the ‘Cherry Blossom Suite’ is available for loved ones of dying patients in Aintree Hospital. This area provides solace for family and friends who are spending time at the bedside of a dying loved one and provides complementary refreshments and comfort provisions.  For further information, please refer to the Cherry Blossom Suite document in the patient information leaflets section on this page.

We have a dedicated ‘SWAN End of Life and Bereavement Care Team’. The team includes specialist nurses who can provide support for dying patients and those close to them. The team are available seven days a week.

The SWAN acronym means Signs, Words, Action and Needs and encourages recognition of dying, communication, facilitating what is important to the individual and to ensure the needs of the patient and family are addressed. This model is used to support and guide the care of patients and their loved ones at the end of life and into bereavement. 

We can involve, and support dying patients and loved ones with a personalised plan of care for the dying patient. This enables us to identify and discuss wishes or concerns during the final days of life. This plan prioritises the needs of the patient and family, enabling open communication, and to ensure that measures are in place to promote comfort at this difficult time. If you have any questions about this, please speak to the ward team, palliative care, or a member of the SWAN team.

For more information on SWAN and Bereavement Services, please visit our Bereavement pages.

We have a dedicated ‘SWAN End of Life and Bereavement Care Team’. The team includes specialist nurses who can provide support for dying patients and those close to them. The team are available seven days a week.

The SWAN acronym means Signs, Words, Action and Needs and encourages recognition of dying, communication, facilitating what is important to the individual and to ensure the needs of the patient and family are addressed. This model is used to support and guide the care of patients and their loved ones at the end of life and into bereavement. 

We can involve, and support dying patients and loved ones with a personalised plan of care for the dying patient. This enables us to identify and discuss wishes or concerns during the final days of life. This plan prioritises the needs of the patient and family, enabling open communication, and to ensure that measures are in place to promote comfort at this difficult time. If you have any questions about this, please speak to the ward team, palliative care, or a member of the SWAN team.

For more information on SWAN and Bereavement Services, please see the Bereavement pages.

We are proud to be able to provide trained end of life volunteer companions who offer support for patients, their families, and carers when patients are in the final stages of their life. The volunteers can provide a calming presence at the bedside. This can be comforting for family members and allow them to take a short break away from the bedside should they wish to do so. They can also ensure that those close to the patient have access to refreshments and make them aware of the facilities available to them. For more information on our Volunteer Service see the Volunteers pages.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a research active trust, supporting and facilitating new innovative ways of providing healthcare to improve patient experience and outcomes. To find out about current research opportunities or register for future studies, please visit the Palliative Care Research page.