TWO Renfrewshire hospices have joined forces to ensure they can deliver a continuous level of care to the community in the wake of coronavirus.
Patients at St Vincent’s Hospice, in Howwood, are being moved to the Paisley-based Accord Hospice.
The temporary consolidation of inpatient care at the Accord site aims to protect standards of care until the pressures caused by the Covid-19 crisis begin to ease.
In coming together, the hospices say they will also be able to improve their at-home services and better support the Renfrewshire community during this stressful time.
Kate Lennon, CEO of St Vincent’s Hospice, said: "Caring for our patients safely is our number one priority as we navigate our way through this crisis.
"In combining our resource and ways of working, we believe we have arrived at a solution that benefits everyone and stands us in good stead to cope with the challenges we face in the months ahead."
Jacki Smart, CEO of Accord Hospice, added: "Due to the unprecedented pressure on the healthcare service caused by coronavirus, we have changed the way in which we will work during this time in a bid to ensure there is no negative impact on our patients and their families.
"In concentrating the inpatient beds at Accord, we can merge the hospices’ medical and nursing staff who are so vital to delivering patient care.
"This means that even if we have, as is inevitable, sickness amongst our colleagues, we can continue to safely care for our patients.
"This is a temporary – but, we feel, essential – measure and we want to take this opportunity to thank our amazing and dedicated staff for their flexibility and understanding during these unprecedented times."
St Vincent’s Hospice remains open, with telephone lines manned for referrals and advice as normal.
Community services currently delivered to patients, including counselling, will continue to be provided through a combination of video and telephone consultations, with home visits arranged where there is no viable alternative and it is deemed safe to do so.
All new referrals to both St Vincent’s and Accord will now be discussed jointly to ensure a seamless service is provided to all patients, whether they require inpatient or community support.
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