MANY of the people looked after by Dorothy House Hospice Care come in as Day Care patients.

The Day Care service continues to provide care for 44 patients over four days each week. In addition, two further groups were introduced in November 2003. One group is for patients discharged from Day Care so they can maintain a link with Dorothy House once a month for six months. The other group meets fortnightly to provide support and information for patients who do not need our full range of clinical services.

Day Care is available to those suffering from progressive life-threatening disease, who are referred to the unit by various health care professionals, including district nurses, GPs, local hospitals and Dorothy House Nurse Specialists.

People can attend the Day Care unit at any stage of their illness. Some may come in for just a short while, until certain goals are attained or because their disease is at an advanced stage, but most people usually stay for about six months, visiting on a weekly basis.

They come with individual needs and have full access to all the health professionals at the hospice. Day Care is supervised by registered nurses, with help from volunteers, and sessions include all kinds of events and activities.

The Day Care unit often comes as a surprise to those visiting Winsley for the first time: the large and airy main room opens out into a conservatory, with the terrace and gardens beyond to enjoy the breathtaking views across the grounds to the Limpley Stoke valley.

Day Care leader Alison Stevens works with her team to make sure patients get the most out of the time they spend at the Winsley hospice. As well as helping with medical problems, a lot of fun is had by all, with theme days and celebrations held throughout the year to mark any special occasion, whether it's an individual birthday or a St Patrick's Day Irish extravaganza.