Local Health

Dorothy House works closely with other local agencies, which provide help and support to patients and families affected by life threatening illness.

Local Health Services

Local health services in the community are provided by the Primary Health Care team. This includes:

• GP - family doctor, who will carry out home visits to monitor symptoms, prescribe medication and make appropriate referrals
• District Nurses - provide skilled nursing care at home seven days a week, especially towards the end of life. In some areas an evening service is also available
• Health Visitors - mostly concerned with child health and family support.

Surgeries may also provide or arrange access to additional services such as:

• Physiotherapy
• Chiropody
• Counselling
• Occupational therapy
• Complementary therapies
• Dietician 

Dorothy House staff work closely with the Primary Health Care team to provide the care services that are needed for patients and families affected by life threatening illness.

Welfare Benefits

There are a number of non-means tested benefits to which people with a life threatening illness may be entitled. These include Attendance Allowance (for people over the age of 65), Disability Living Allowance (for younger people) and others. Where the prognosis is not favourable, there is a fast track application process for these benefits.

Carers may also be entitled to claim certain benefits. Bereavement benefits are available to bereaved husbands or wives, where National Insurance contribution conditions are met.

Dorothy House Nurse Specialists are able to offer our patients and their families information and advice on relevant benefits.

Local Citizens Advice Bureaux offer a comprehensive advice service including welfare benefits, debt and money advice and many other areas, and may offer representation in tribunals and courts.

Local bureaux are based in:

Please note that opening hours vary from bureau to bureau, and telephones are not always staffed due to pressure of work.

SWAN is an advice service serving Bath & NE Somerset, which offers welfare benefits advice and representation at tribunals. They also offer a home visiting service, which is available by referral from a health care worker.

Local offices are based in:

Comprehensive information on benefits can be found on the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux website at www.adviceguide.org.uk. 

Social Services

Social Services Adult Care Teams may be able to help with access to a range of services, including:

• Personal care
• Meals on wheels
• Aids & adaptations
• Mobility & transport
• Household management
• Social and emotional support

A home visit is generally made to assess what the particular needs are, in consultation with the patient's family.

If the patient has less than £16,000 in savings, Social Services may be able to offer appropriate services. If the patient has savings over £16,000, Social Services are able to offer advice on where help may be obtained.

Social Services will also undertake carer assessments to look at the needs of carers, such as advice, support or respite.

Social Services Adult Care Teams when phoning, ask to speak to a Duty Officer in Adult Care.

Domestic & Personal care 

If the patient has less than £16,000 in savings and needs assistance with household management tasks or personal care, Social Services may be able to offer appropriate services.

If the patient has savings over £16,000, Social Services are able to offer advice on where help may be obtained. A list of registered and approved care agencies may be obtained by phoning your local Social Services office. These may help with tasks such as laundry, shopping, some housework and personal care.

In some areas, District Nurse teams are able to offer personal care for a limited period of time.

Aids and Adaptations 

Aids and adaptations for independent living may include specialist equipment such as bath aids, wheelchairs, kitchen equipment, special chairs, stair lifts, etc. Many items are available for hire.

Assessments by an occupational therapist for aids and adaptations to the home can be arranged by the local Social Services Adult Care team. This service is not means tested but is available according to need and regardless of income or savings.

There are also a number of Disabled Living Centres, where independent advice and assessment is available and a range of equipment, aids and adaptations may be viewed and tried out. Appointments must be booked in advance and individual assessments are carried out free of charge by an Occupational Therapist. Information can also be sent out through the post.

Support & Advice 

Support and advice to people affected by life threatening illness is available from a number of local and national groups and organisations. These range from small local self-help groups to helplines of national organisations.

www.terminalillness.co.uk is a website which focuses on coping with a terminal illness as a sufferer, relative or friend. 

Local support groups

Up to date information about local and self-help support groups may be found at your local health centre or library, from the Royal United Hospital in Bath or from Cancerlink on 0808 808 0000. The current (2001) directory from Cancerlink lists self-help cancer support groups in Bath, Devizes, Frome and Melksham and breast cancer support groups in Bath, Chippenham and Trowbridge.

Lymphoedema support group. Quarterly support group for people affected by lymphoedema and their carers, run by Dorothy House lymphoedema service. Tel. 01225 722988.

Cancer

BACUP

Cancer information service, staffed by specialist cancer nurses. Produce many booklets about different cancers. Telephone service to discuss any issue about cancer on freecall 0800 181199. Cancer counselling service on 020 7696 9000. Cancer support service on freecall 0808 800 1234.

Excellent website: www.cancerbacup.org.uk.

Breast Cancer Care

Charity dedicated to providing free help, information and support to women with breast cancer. Freecall 0500 245 345.

Penny Brohn Cancer Care

Penny Brohn Cancer Care (formerly Bristol Cancer Help Centre) provides complementary care, The Bristol Approach, to people with cancer and their loved ones. Helpline: 0845 1232310; E-mail: helpline@pennybrohn.org Website: www.pennybrohncancercare.org

Cancerlink

Provides emotional support and information in response to telephone enquiries on all aspects of cancer. Also has a network of local support groups. Freecall 0808 808 0000.

Ovacome

A support organisation for women with ovarian cancer. Can be contacted via BACUP or Cancerlink.

Other Life Threatening Illnesses

Motor Neurone Disease Association

National organisation dedicated to the support of people with MND and those who care for them. Helpline for information, support and advice.

Tel. 08457 626262.

Website: www.mndassociation.org.

Carers

Carers National Association

Offers comprehensive information, advice and support to people caring for relatives and friends. Has branches throughout the UK, which can refer carers to local sources of help and support, including home visits and support groups. Carers Line: tel. 0808 808 7777.

Website: www.carersonline.org.uk.

Counselling

The Harbour

Free professional counselling service for people affected by life threatening illness, living in the Dorothy House area, including bereavement support. Tel. 0117 925 9348.

Website: www.the-harbour.co.uk

Off the Record 

Offers counselling to young people, including bereavement support. Tel. 0800 3895551.

British Association for Counselling

Publish directories listing counselling services and will refer enquirers to an experienced local counsellor. Tel. 0870 4435252.

Positive Action on Cancer

Positive Action on Cancer is a free professional telephone and face to face counselling service for people directly or indirectly affected by any form of cancer. Based in Frome, the service covers a much wider area. For more information and appointments ring 01373 455255 or email us info@positiveactiononcancer.co.uk All of the counsellors at P.A.C. have 3 year diploma training and adhere to the code of The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Bereavement

Cruse Bereavement Care

Offers free help and support to all bereaved people, including individual and group counselling.

Bath and District 01761 417250 

Bristol 0117 926 4045

There are also local groups in Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Frome, Midsomer Norton, Trowbridge and Westbury - for details contact the Bath and District office on 01761 417250.

The Compassionate Friends

A self-help group for parents whose son or daughter (of any age) has died from any cause. Personal and group support. Tel. 0117 9665202.

RD4U

An informative, interactive website aimed at children and young people dealing with issues of illness, death and bereavement. www.rd4u.org.uk.

Dorothy House Bereavement Service

For more information, see the Community Services page .