If you are a patient or a family member:

As a hospice, we take referrals from the healthcare professionals who are caring for you, after it has been discussed fully with you and you have given your permission.

If you are wondering if an admission might be useful for you or someone close to you, please talk to your GP, hospital consultant or palliative care clinical nurse specialist. They’ll talk you through being referred to Thorpe Hall.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, we are currently unable to welcome visitors to look around the hospice prior to admission. However, you can view an online virtual tour here. You can also call us on 01733 225900 if you have any questions.

If you are a GP, hospital consultant or palliative care community nurse specialist:

We welcome referrals from healthcare professionals. In the first instance, please download and fill in one of our referral forms and send it to the hospice (instructions and contact details are on the form).

This form includes lots of useful information and may provide answers to some of the questions you may have.

Admission Requests are reviewed by hospice staff at approximately 10:00am and 2:00pm each day. You will be contacted after that meeting so we can share the outcome with you.

If the referral is accepted, we will then discuss the admission process with you, and the time frame involved.

For same-day admissions, please call the hospice on 01733 225900 and ask to speak to one of the medical team. We will then ask you to fax over the referral form, if appropriate.

At Thorpe Hall, we offer holistic care – our specialist medical and nursing team talks to you, our patient, and your loved ones if appropriate, to find out your priorities. The team develops your personalised care plan based on this information, focusing on your needs and preferences.

The medical team is made up of palliative medicine consultants, speciality doctors and doctors in training. They will also consult with our Sue Ryder Nurses and nursing assistants, an occupational therapist and physiotherapist, spiritual care, the Family Support team, discharge support, complementary therapists and a clinical psychologist.

Everyone involved understands the importance of dealing with the physical, emotional, social and spiritual impact of life-limiting conditions, so that you can regain and retain as much quality of life as possible.

While our patients are receiving expert medical care, we encourage them to think of Thorpe Hall as a home from home. Each of our 20 bedrooms has en-suite facilities, garden access, television, Wi-Fi, storage and seating. We also have a spa bath for patients to use. You are welcome to bring mobile phones and other electronic devices. Feel free to display photos and favourite ornaments in your room.

When you’re ready to leave us, we support you and your family through each step of the process. We ensure everyone’s needs are met as far as possible. Please note during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic this may be offered virtually.

Thorpe Hall is proud to work with medical students from Cambridge University and nursing students from Anglia Ruskin University. They are closely supervised by our medical and nursing teams, while they learn how to best care for patients living with life-limiting conditions.

Find out more about referrals to our inpatient unit

Working with the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Thorpe Hall Hospice at Home supports patients who need end-of-life care at home.

This might be because your symptoms have suddenly become worse or your carer has been taken ill.

Our Sue Ryder Nurses and nursing assistants are all trained to provide the care and support you need. They provide advice and support with managing your symptoms, help with personal care, and also offer emotional and psychological support to you, and those close to you.

For more information on our Hospice at Home service, please contact us directly by calling 01733 225936.

Hospice at Home referrals

Our service is available seven days a week, and we are happy to take referrals from healthcare professionals at any time. Please note: Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice at Home service is commissioned to cover patients whose GP has a Peterborough postcode.

To refer a patient for Hospice at Home services, please complete the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group's Continuing Health Care Fast Track referral form and associated NHS consent form.

Being referred to a hospice can be a difficult time for a patient, and their family and friends.

Our family support team is here to offer emotional support when a patient arrives at Thorpe Hall and for as long as it is helpful – to the patient, their family and friends.

Emotional, spiritual and practical care

The team can help people come to terms with a diagnosis or the death of a loved one. They can also signpost to other organisations, charities or networks for help and support with specific issues or concerns.

We also have a Spiritual Care team that offers religious and spiritual support to patients and their families, of all faiths and none.

Bereavement support

When the time comes, the Family Support team can provide bereavement support. Sue Ryder also has an Online Bereavement Community where you can find support, get things off your chest and chat with others who understand.

How to get in touch

For more information about accessing the family support available at Thorpe Hall, please call 01733 225921 or email thorpehall@sueryder.org

We offer a range of therapies which may ease symptoms and promote well-being for our patients.

Complementary therapies supplement and support conventional medical treatments. They can have a balancing and harmonising effect on spiritual, emotional and mental health, improving the quality of life for both patients and carers. Complementary therapies may ease pain, breathing difficulties, headaches, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and constipation and make it easier to cope with your illness.

Who may benefit? 
We may recommend complementary therapies when you're living with a life-limiting condition.

What therapies do we offer? 

• Aromatherapy: pure essential oils, with therapeutic properties, are blended and used during gentle massage.
• Reflexology: gentle pressure is applied to specific areas of the feet or hands to release energy and encourage circulation corresponding to body areas.
• Bowen technique: gentle touch relieves aching muscles and helps with mobility. It can be done through clothing.
• Massage: gentle massage may relieve pain, promote physical and mental relaxation and stimulate the body's vital energy.
• Indian head massage: a deeply relaxing massage to your upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp and face which can ease tension.
• Reiki: coming from the Japanese word meaning 'universal life force energy', Reiki channels this energy to where it is needed most.

Find out more

Please call 01733 225900 to speak to a member of staff about complementary therapy at Thorpe Hall.

At Thorpe Hall Hospice, our team of doctors provides expert medical care to our patients.

The team is led by two palliative medicine consultants, alongside experienced speciality doctors, and junior doctors at different stages of their training. Medical students join us at various times during the year to learn about managing patients with life-limiting illnesses. They are closely supervised by senior staff.

After being admitted, you, and your family if appropriate, will meet with one of our doctors. Following that consultation, we create your personalised therapy plan, drawing on all the expertise that is available at the hospice. We review your plan regularly and adjust it as necessary.

Our team practise in the community, consult at other healthcare settings, and work with Cambridge University, sharing our expert knowledge and experience of diverse aspects of palliative care.

Our team provides round-the-clock support.

We will involve you and your family in developing a personalised care plan to help manage your symptoms and to maintain your wellbeing during your stay with us.

Medical and clinical teams

Our consultants lead a team of doctors to provide individual, high-quality, symptom control, alongside a team of senior nurses, registered nurses and nursing assistants who will provide the care and support you need 24 hours a day.

Family Support team and Spiritual Care

Our specially trained staff and volunteers offer emotional and practical support to you and your loved ones during your time with us, and afterwards. Our Spiritual Care Coordinator works with local faith leaders to provide whatever support you need.

Therapist support

Our occupational therapist and physiotherapist will support you to retain your mobility and independence. Complementary therapies are also available.

Continuing help

Our team will discuss your future care options to ensure you have the right ongoing support.

Please give us your feedback!

We value feedback from our service users, and their family and friends.

What do you like and what can we improve?

Please share your comments and compliments with a member of our team so we can continue to improve the services we provide for you.

You can also email us at feedback@sueryder.org

We have launched our Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice - Service User Participation Group. This will virtually meet every six weeks for one hour in the evening from January 2022, to share feedback and ideas on how we can improve services.

We’re currently looking for service users, their families and friends who would like to join the group.

To find out more about joining please email thorpehall.reception@sueryder.org

Our Therapy team of occupational therapists and physiotherapists promote overall wellbeing through a holistic approach to physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Our aim is to give you the advice, tools and techniques you need to:

• maintain and improve your mobility, skills and confidence
• do the everyday things that matter to you
• cope with difficult symptoms

Occupational therapy and physiotherapy

Our occupational therapist will help you identify what you can manage, working out practical solutions to everyday tasks that you find more challenging.

Our physiotherapist can advise on exercise and movement to ensure you’re confident when moving about and to keep you as active as possible.

We can help with:

• equipment to help you around the house – such as stair rails, walking aids and transfer aids
• therapeutic breathing techniques
• exercises
• techniques to help with fatigue and tiredness
• ways to prevent falls 
• home assessments
• advice on pain management, to work alongside medication 
• referrals to relevant community services
• low-level relaxation
• anxiety management

For more information

Please get in touch with the hospice on 01733 225900 and ask to speak to the Therapy team.

When someone is experiencing fear and anxiety, spiritual support can be a huge comfort. Regardless of faith or belief, our Spiritual Care team is here for patients, families and carers to bring peace of mind. We can help with any religious needs you have, or if we can't help, we'll connect you with people who can.

Specialist palliative care advice or support is available to patients, family/friends, carers, GPs and other healthcare professionals in Cambridgeshire via the Palliative Care Hub, which is provided by our partners Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

This offers advice, support and signposting to appropriate palliative care services, which in Peterborough are provided by Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

The Palliative Care Hub is a 24-hour service and you can call at any time.

You can contact the Palliative Care Hub by calling 111 and selecting option 3 to speak to a clinical nurse specialist.

View the Palliative Care Hub NHS leaflet for more information

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice provides care to young adults from the age of 18 years who live in and around Peterborough, living with complex or life-limiting conditions.

To support young people aged 14-18 who are beginning to think about moving from children to adult hospice care services, we offer a dedicated transition programme to help welcome you to our hospice and our specialist services.

Find out more information about our transition programme