IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group has been legally dissolved and from 1 July 2022 has been replaced by a new organisation: NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (SY ICB). NHS South Yorkshire ICB is now responsible for commissioning and funding of health and care services locally. Please go to our new website www.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk for information about the work of NHS South Yorkshire ICB and details about how to contact us.

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We want you to have more care closer to your home...

Intensive Home Nursing Service

Contact details

Address: Intensive Home Nursing Service, Michael Carlisle Centre, Froggatt Wing, Osbourne Road, Sheffield, S11 9BF

Tel: 0114 2716010
Fax: 0114 2716026

Lead Professional

Rebekah Matthews
Email: rebekah.matthews@nhs.net

Service Description

The Intensive Home Nursing Service (IHNS) provides individualised one-to-one supportive care for patients who are believed to be in the last few weeks of life, to enable them to die at home. The service provides varying levels of care depending on the needs of the individual. This can be as much as 24 hour care, when the patient is anticipated to be in the last week of life.  The IHNS offers a resource to other services to enhance and complement their care. Referrals are taken from any health or social care professional, either community or hospital based, such as District Nurses, Social Workers, General Practitioners and Hospital Liaison Departments.

The service is enhanced by partial funding from Marie Curie Cancer Care, a charity which provides free nursing care to cancer patients and those with other terminal illnesses in their own homes

Variable Intensity Palliative (VIP) Care Service

The aim of the VIP service is to enhance and increase the current service to provide further support for those caring informally, by offering a variety of care options to meet the needs of the individual. People referred to the VIP service will have a diagnosis of a life limiting illness (cancer & non-cancer). Care will be provided following assessment and identification of need by the VIP lead nurse or one of the qualified nurses in the IHNS.

Examples of appropriate use:

  • People whose needs are currently being met by family members and informal carers, acknowledging that such carers may require ‘respite at home’ to enable them to have time off.
  • People who are not yet in the terminal phase of their illness, but are experiencing an acute episode of illness.
  • To enable people who are in Hospital or Hospice to spend some time/respite in their own homes.
  • To enable carers to return to paid employment.

Patient Referral Criteria

Night Care

Each night shift is from 10pm-7am, and may initially be 2-3 nights/week for those believed to be in the last 6-8 weeks of life. When this is difficult to assess, this level of care can be put in place in order to facilitate assessment of need, and would be reviewed after approximately one month. When someone is felt to be in the last 2-4 weeks of life the care can then be increased to every night, depending on the needs of each individual situation.

Day Care

If someone is felt to be in the last 2-4 weeks of life and is experiencing more settled nights, but would benefit from some assistance/care during the day, it can be possible to access a day shift as an alternative to the night care. The hours of the shift would be arranged to meet the needs of the individual, but are typically 9am-4pm.

Combination of Day and Night Care

As needs increase, the service can increase care delivery to include one day shift and a night shift every day. The timings of care would be adjusted to meet the needs of the individual, family and carers.

24-Hour Care

This level of care is usually provided for people felt to be in the last week of life. The shift patterns are usually:
Early shift: 7.45am - 3pm
Late Shift: 2.45pm - 10pm
Night Shift: 9.45pm - 8am
(Each shift allows a 15 minute handover)

Referral Process

Telephone referrals only from professionals, using the contact number above.

NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group

Headquarters
722 Prince of Wales Road
Sheffield
S9 4EU

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