Community Macmillan Nurses

St Michael's provides a base for the five Macmillan Community Nurses who between them, with support from bank staff, cover the whole of Herefordshire and receive 350 to 400 new referrals each year.

Together with the Hospice and Hospital Palliative Care Team, the Macmillan Palliative Nursing service provides specialist palliative nursing to patients with life threatening illnesses and their families. Unlike the Marie Curie nurses, the Macmillan nurses do not provide ‘hands-on' nursing care, but instead assess, advise and facilitate care.

Once they have received a referral, they will make an initial holistic assessment from which they can suggest helpful measures in relation to symptom control and link in with other agencies to provide appropriate care and treatment. The nurses will follow the patient through their ‘disease pathway' and share notes with the Hospice to ensure continuity of care.

The Macmillan Nurses aim to respond to referrals within two working days and are available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. They offer support through home visits and regular telephone contact and often liase between patients, relatives, GPs and the hospital with the aim of improving the quality of life for the whole family during a stressful time.

To contact the Community Macmillan Palliative Nursing Team telephone 01432 853076 or email Macmillan.Hereford@nhs.net . For more information visit; www.macmillan.org.uk