We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of the Community Hub team, whose outstanding work was showcased at this year’s Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Conference in Edinburgh. Clinical Nurse Specialists Ellen Bradley and Jennifer McKirdy represented the team, presenting a poster that highlighted their ongoing journey to enhance community palliative care in Inverclyde.

This recognition underscores the vital work being done to ensure that people with palliative care needs receive the best possible support in Inverclyde.

The Role of the Community Hub Team

The Community Hub team plays a critical role in delivering palliative care services across Inverclyde. Their work is multifaceted, involving:

• Providing accessible and accurate clinical advice to health and social care professionals via a dedicated helpline.
• Conducting in-person specialist reviews of patients with palliative care needs.
• Acting as a bridge between different care providers to ensure a seamless, patient-centred approach.
• Supporting educational opportunities relating to palliative care for health and social care professionals in Inverclyde.

Their efforts focus on improving the quality of life for patients, their carers and those close to them while also supporting healthcare professionals to navigate complex cases.

Service Development: A Journey of Improvement

The poster presented at the conference detailed the team’s ongoing journey to reinvigorate community palliative care in Inverclyde. Recognising the need for sustainable and impactful change, the team carefully evaluated their priorities and developed a plan for continuous improvement.

Central to this journey was the adoption of the TEA framework – Treat, Educate, and Advise. This framework provided a structured approach to implementing changes, focusing on:

1. Treat: Delivering high-quality clinical care for patients.
2. Educate: Supporting and training healthcare professionals to strengthen their understanding and skills in palliative cre.
3. Advise: Offering expert guidance to health and social care professionals to ensure the best outcomes for patients and their families, in all settings across Inverclyde.

Through this framework, the team has undertaken several initiatives, each evaluated for its impact on patient care and community support.

Reflections on Embracing Change

Change is never easy, particularly in healthcare, where the needs of patients are diverse and constantly evolving. The Community Hub team reflected on their experiences in the poster, sharing the challenges and successes of their service development journey.

They shared candidly about embracing new roles, adapting to challenges, and meeting the increasing demand for palliative care services. Their resilience and dedication have enabled them to make meaningful strides towards meeting the needs of the people of Inverclyde.

Why This Matters

The Community Hub team’s work is an inspiring example of how focused, collaborative efforts can improve community healthcare services. By combining clinical expertise with a commitment to education and guidance, they are ensuring that palliative care is not just a service but a lifeline for patients and families during some of life’s most challenging moments.

Learn More

The full poster, which provides further insights into the team’s initiatives and outcomes, is available here: https://tinyurl.com/vhpzjxx7. We encourage everyone to take a look and discover the incredible work being done to enhance palliative care in Inverclyde.

Celebrating Success

We want to extend our congratulations to Ellen, Jennifer, and the entire Community Hub team for this well-deserved recognition. Their innovation, compassion, and dedication are truly making a difference.

While the conference may be over, their journey to improve community palliative care continues. It is through efforts like theirs that we can ensure every patient receives the support and care they deserve, across all care settings in Inverclyde.

Please scan the QR code here if our link to the poster does not work:

Representation in the Scottish Parliament

The Ardgowan Hospice Community Team were also invited to Hospice UK’s drop in event to celebrate Hospice Care Week at Scottish Parliament, hosted by Miles Briggs MSP on 10th October. It was an informal drop-in event where MSPs across parties came by to show their support for hospice care and chat directly with hospice staff to understand the challenges faced by the hospice sector.

It was an excellent opportunity for the team to share their experiences of supporting the provision of palliative care in Inverclyde and to highlight the challenges facing the hospice sector. It also provided a chance for the team to meet with other hospices across Scotland to share experiences and ideas.