Enhancing Person Centred Care
Trinity Hospice have been using the technology to offer weekly virtual ward rounds.
Sheila, a patient at Clifton Hospital, was on an end of life pathway. She was receiving palliative chemotherapy, had lost her appetite and was losing weight. She had regular face to face appointments with healthcare professionals which she usually attended with her family.
Sheila, with support from ward staff, connected with specialist nurses from Trinity as part of the weekly clinic to review patients. During this session, Sheila was able to discuss her symptoms with the nursing staff, letting them know that she had a sore mouth as a result of the chemotherapy which meant that it was painful to eat and drink.
She also told nurses that she was only continuing with her chemotherapy because she did not want to upset her loved ones.
Following the virtual ward round, Clifton staff offered Sheila a range of different foods and drinks that were more palatable to her, enabling her to, once again, enjoy eating and drinking. Also, with Sheila’s permission, the Ward Manager at Clifton Hospital spoke with her family about her wish to stop treatment. Although an upsetting topic, Sheila and her family were then able to have a frank conversation about her wishes and this enabled her to be in control of her own care and end of life planning.
