DR Kershaw's Hospice is to pilot a home care service in the new year.

Following on from the success and expansion of their Hospice at Home scheme - which ensures patients have enough additional care to remain at home if they wish - the Royton-based team which be launching "Kershaw's Caring Hands" in early 2018.

They have received funding for the test scheme which will support patients with basic personal care in the last few weeks of life.

“Hospice At Home has highlighted a shortfall in capacity and variable quality in social care provision for highly dependent patients approaching the end of their lives which we believe we can address,” said Lindsey Harper, lead nurse for community services.

“The hospice has fostered an excellent reputation locally and we believe we will improve patient experience and quickly become the home care service of choice.”

The service will be provided for patients registered with an Oldham GP who are referred on a fast-track basis from Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, their own GP, or Community Nursing Services.

The hospice is now looking to recruit a home care coordinator and a bank of community health care assistants.

They are holding an open day on Saturday, from 1-3pm, at Turf Lane, when those interested can call in for a coffee and a chat and get more information.

Joanne Sloan, deputy chief executive at Dr Kershaw’s, said: “The Hospice will recruit suitable staff to provide the highest standards of individual care and our hospice’s not-for-profit set-up will ensure that all the funds received are invested in high-quality staff.

“Recruited staff will receive a programme of training, incorporating all core mandatory training and a certificate of care, to ensure our staff are trained to a high standard to provide excellent quality of care for patients.”

Staff would then be partnered with more experienced hospice staff on home visits to further support standards of care and safety.

More details about the posts being offered are available at www.drkershawshospice.org.uk/about-us/job-vacancies/.

FOLLOWING the success and expansion of the Dr Kershaw’s ‘Hospice at Home’ scheme, the Royton-based team is to pilot a home care service.

‘Kershaw’s Caring Hands’ is looking to extend the highest standards of care into the community and has received funding to launch the scheme in the New Year.

“Hospice At Home has highlighted a shortfall in capacity and variable quality in social care provision for highly dependent patients approaching the end of their lives which we believe we can address,” said Lindsey Harper, lead nurse for community services.

The service will be provided for patients registered with an Oldham GP who are referred on a fast-track basis from Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, their own GP, or Community Nursing Services, who require support with basic personal care in the last few weeks of life.

“The Hospice has fostered an excellent reputation locally and we believe we will improve patient experience and quickly become the home care service of choice,” added Lindsey.

The Turf Lane hospice is now looking to recruit a Home Care coordinator and a bank of Community Health Care Assistants.

To assist with this, the Hospice team is to hold an open day on Saturday (1-3pm) at Dr Kershaw’s where those interested can call in for a coffee and a chat and get more information.

Joanne Sloan, Deputy Chief Executive at Dr Kershaw’s, said: “The Hospice will recruit suitable staff to provide the highest standards of individual care and our hospice’s not-for-profit setup will ensure that all the funds received are invested in high-quality staff.

“Recruited staff will receive a programme of training, incorporating all core mandatory training and a certificate of care, to ensure our staff are trained to a high standard to provide excellent quality of care for patients.”

Joanne added that staff would then be partnered with more experienced Hospice staff on home visits to further support standards of care and safety.

More details about the posts being offered are available at www.drkershawshospice.org.uk/about-us/job-vacancies/