Sue Ryder launches new life-changing palliative care services across Berkshire West and South Oxfordshire
Sue Ryder’s new services mean more people can access expert care at home, in the community, or in hospice or community hospital beds.
Helping more people live well
This week, Sue Ryder is launching major new NHS-commissioned palliative and end-of-life care services across the South East, helping more people live well with life-limiting conditions in the region, often supported at home.
The new services are designed to reach more local residents living with complex palliative care needs, offering comfort, symptom management, and support for families and carers too.
This is about making sure people in our local communities can get specialist care at the right time and in the right place.
Louise Lucio, Regional Director of Sue Ryder South East
“By joining up Sue Ryder services across Reading, Wokingham, Newbury and South Oxfordshire, we can support more people from more communities in their homes, in the community, or in our hospice or community hospital inpatient beds.”
As part of the new ten year partnership with the NHS, Sue Ryder now provides:
- A brand new 24/7 clinical advice line for Sue Ryder patients and healthcare professionals
- A new Hospice at Home service in Berkshire West, expanding on the life-transforming care the charity already provides in South Oxfordshire
- A Single Point of Access for care coordination across Berkshire West and South Oxfordshire (8am–8pm, 7 days a week)
- A regional Virtual Ward, providing hospital-level care at home
- Regional wellbeing, therapies, bereavement and lymphoedema services (Lymphoedema service available in Berkshire West)
Meeting growing local need
Louise added, “There are around 5,000 people in Berkshire West and South Oxfordshire living with life-limiting conditions, and this number is rising all the time as people live longer with more complex illnesses.
“Sue Ryder’s new-look services will help people remain at home where possible, supporting earlier discharge from hospital and reducing hospital admissions by providing timely, tailored support for families.”
“Families tell us that being able to stay at home supported by skilled care professionals makes all the difference,” said Zoe Woods, Head of Palliative and End of Life Care (PEoLC) and Community Services for NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board.
These new Sue Ryder services mean expert support is available 24/7, helping people stay comfortable at home, day or night.
Patient referrals to Sue Ryder’s South East services
Sue Ryder’s South East services are available across Reading, Wokingham, Newbury, Didcot, Wallingford, Henley and surrounding communities, offering specialist community nursing, hospice at home services, inpatient care at the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading, and via community beds at Wallingford Community Hospital, therapy, wellbeing support, and bereavement services.
Patient referrals can be made by their GP or hospital team.