Many may think of a Hospice as just a place to die, however at Rowans Hospice we focus on maintaining quality of life by relieving symptoms associated with a life-limiting or life-shortening illness. Hospice care recognises the whole person and addresses symptoms manifesting across physical, emotional, social and spiritual domains. Care for Family, friends and informal carers is part of the ‘holistic’ model of care.
We work from the premise: “What matters to me”, placing people at the centre of Hospice care. Well-being and safety are at the forefront of our minds and will be our focus of attention for everyone seeking care and support, whether this is at home or in Rowans Hospice.
In-patient care is provided within Rowans Hospice, situated in Purbrook, Waterlooville, with 16 en-suite bedrooms where specialist nursing and clinical staff are available to maintain your quality of life. Admissions are usually for a relatively short period to alleviate symptoms and – when needed – offer care in dying.
Find out more about the care that we provide in our In-Patient Booklet, or download our ‘Frequently Asked Questions‘ document:
The In-Patient Unit provides compassionate, expert Hospice care for people living with a life-limiting and progressive illness. The care is delivered by specialist palliative care doctors, nurses and other clinical professionals in a relaxed and homely setting. The aim is to enhance quality of life and do all that may be possible to provide a ‘good’ natural death. Admissions are for short periods of time and much emphasis is placed on advance care planning and where possible helping people to return to their own home as is often their choice and preference.
We treat each person as a unique individual and provide a holistic model of Hospice care, that addresses physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs. Care also extends to friends and family members throughout illness and into bereavement.
Upon arrival or before admission, a patient is assessed by a doctor and a nurse to identify their care needs and ‘What matters to them”. During the patient’s stay, every patient’s care will be allocated to one team of nurses to ensure continuity of care and enable the patient and their family to become familiar with a smaller number of staff.
Many people incorrectly view the In-Patient Unit as somewhere where people just go to die. While some of our patients do spend their final days on the Unit, we also offer pain relief and symptom management to maintain and where possible improve their quality of life.
Patients may also stay with us for acute carer relief. Please see our document on how to plan for your stay with us.
At Rowans Hospice, patients can rest in a comfortable setting with the security of having specialists caring for them. Each patient has their own room with en-suite facilities. Tranquil gardens and courtyards surround the building while seating areas and the cafe provide places where people can meet others and enjoy time in an informal setting.
A referral to the In-Patient Unit must be made by a Healthcare Professional. The referral might come from your GP, Hospital Consultant, District Nurse or any other professional involved in your care; and one of our team will generally visit to make an assessment, explain what is available to you; you can then agree on appropriate goals for you and your family to achieve from the stay. For Healthcare Professionals seeking further information and guidance on making referrals, you can find our guidelines and procedures in the Professionals section of the website.
Wherever possible, we believe in giving people control over the care and treatment they receive, including where they would like to be cared for. To this end we offer a Hospice at Home service for those who would prefer to receive Hospice care within the comfort of their own home, surrounded by family, friends and often beloved pets.
Hospice Care at Home is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a combination of planned and responsive visits. This provides nursing care that is at the same level to that experienced by patients who are admitted to Rowans Hospice in-patient unit.
Referral to Hospice at Home can be made by any Health/Social Care professional following consent of the patient and family. In some areas of Portsmouth and South East Hampshire this ‘at home’ care provision is also available from other service providers.
The Rowans Living Well Centre is located next door to the main Hospice building. The Living Well Services are available to people in Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire who are living with a life-limiting and progressive illness, as well as their families and friends; this includes carers. Services include one to one and group support with over 35 programmed therapeutic activities every week. Activities include creative writing, cookery, gardening, support groups and complementary therapies.
You do not require a referral to use the Living Well Services, however we do recommend you telephone to arrange an appointment.
To see the full list of services, visit our Living Well Services page.
Hospice care is an integrated service which works closely and in partnership with local NHS services within the community, in hospital and in residential and nursing care homes. When specialist end of life care is needed, we will work in partnership with your GP or District Nurses to provide support and clinical expertise.
The Community NHS Specialist Palliative Care teams have wide-ranging expertise to help with the medical, practical and psychological effects of living with a life-limiting illness, and also offer emotional and practical support to the whole family. This team includes:
Your first contact with Rowans Hospice is often through a visit from one of the NHS team.
We also work closely with Portsmouth Hospital University Trust and aim to ensure that patients move between hospital and Hospice as smoothly as possible.
We treat each person as a unique individual and provide a holistic model of Hospice care, that addresses physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs. Care also extends to friends and family members throughout illness and into bereavement.
Upon arrival or before admission, a patient is assessed by a doctor and a nurse to identify their care needs and ‘What matters to them”. During the patient’s stay, every patient’s care will be allocated to one team of nurses to ensure continuity of care and enable the patient and their family to become familiar with a smaller number of staff.
Many people incorrectly view the In-Patient Unit as somewhere where people just go to die. While some of our patients do spend their final days on the Unit, we also offer pain relief and symptom management to maintain and where possible improve their quality of life.
Patients may also stay with us for acute carer relief. Please see our document on how to plan for your stay with us.
At Rowans Hospice, patients can rest in a comfortable setting with the security of having specialists caring for them. Each patient has their own room with en-suite facilities. Tranquil gardens and courtyards surround the building while seating areas and the cafe provide places where people can meet others and enjoy time in an informal setting.
A referral to the In-Patient Unit must be made by a Healthcare Professional. The referral might come from your GP, Hospital Consultant, District Nurse or any other professional involved in your care; and one of our team will generally visit to make an assessment, explain what is available to you; you can then agree on appropriate goals for you and your family to achieve from the stay. For Healthcare Professionals seeking further information and guidance on making referrals, you can find our guidelines and procedures in the Professionals section of the website.
Living with a life-limiting illness, or coping with grief, can be overwhelming.
As part of Hospice care, we provide professional psychological support to all patients and families if needed. Bereavement support is offered to family members, friends and carers of patients who have been referred to both Rowans Hospice services and NHS Community Palliative Care Services.
There is a team of Clinical Psychologists, Psychotherapists, and Counsellors based at the Hospice who are highly skilled and compassionate professionals who will listen to you and give you a safe place to talk openly about your thoughts and feelings.
To be referred, an initial assessment and support are provided through the Rowans Living Well Services.
For those up to the age of 18 the Meerkat service, provides therapeutic support to children when they are bereaved or have a family member receiving care through the Hospice. Sometimes it can be difficult for family members to provide this support to children and young people and especially if they are grieving too. This service provides an outlet where children can talk about their feelings and provide advice and information to families as to how best to support children and young adults.
Our Social Work team based at the Hospice offer advice, support and resources to help patients manage their care and maintain their independence. They work closely with other teams in the Hospice and those in the wider community to provide a wide range of practical and emotional support.
Social Workers can also help with :
Physiotherapy can help people living with a life-limiting illness to maintain independence when there is a change in their physical condition.
Physiotherapy can help to address:
Our physiotherapists work with people on the In-Patient Unit as well as those in the Living Well Services.
Occupational Therapy focuses on a person’s daily activity and how this may be affected when living with a life-limiting condition. A person may experience changes in their mood, sleep, energy, stress levels and their ability to engage in activities of daily living that are important to them. An Occupational Therapist can help to identify and understand everyday changes, offering practical strategies or a new approach to manage this.
Occupational Therapy services can be accessed through the Hospice or in the community through specialist palliative care services.
Complementary therapies are used alongside medical treatments to create a calming and healing environment for patients and families. All our practitioners are professionally qualified and work on a voluntary basis.
Some of the therapies available include massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture and Osteopathy.
Complementary therapies are available through our Living Well Services.
Sometimes questions and doubts arise and it can be helpful to share and explore these with someone.
Our Spiritual Care Support Lead, Bryony Wildblood, is here to listen, to offer support, or just be alongside someone as they explore their thoughts and feelings.
To contact Bryony, email: Bryony.Wildblood@rowanshospice.co.uk
