Our Homeless Palliative Care Service is dedicated to providing support and advice to people who are experiencing homelessness or vulnerably housed and are facing health challenges. Our team offers a person-centred approach to working with individual service users, as well as guidance and signposting for the professionals caring for them. Dignity and choice is at the heart of the service.
Explore our resources and services to learn more about how we can help.
About the service
At the Wigan Palliative and End of Life Care Learning Hub, we acknowledge the unique healthcare challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness or unstable housing. Limited access to medical services and other barriers can complicate their final stages of life. Our service is specifically designed to provide advice and support to those in the Wigan Borough who are experiencing deteriorating health issues that may not be curable, guiding them to access vital palliative and end-of-life care.
Additionally, we're committed to assisting and advising homelessness services by providing a point of access to discuss clients of concern who are recognised as having deteriorating health. We understand that people who are experiencing homelessness or vulnerably housed often suffer from incurable and life-limiting health conditions. At Wigan & Leigh Hospice, we aim to reach these individuals earlier in their illness to enhance their quality of life and ensure access to palliative care services.
Supporting individuals
We know that most people prefer to stay in a familiar place with the people they know when they are unwell. So, whenever we can, we will help the people around you to learn how to manage your needs.
There are many benefits to receiving palliative and end-of-life support:
- We can help to give you a voice.
- We can help you when thinking about where and how you would like to be cared for.
- Gives you the opportunity to set out short term goals and improve your quality of life.
- We can help you to think about the people who are most important to you at this time.
- We can offer support to manage any uncontrolled symptoms.
- We can help provide comfort and maintain your dignity.
Supporting healthcare workers
The Wigan Palliative and End of Life Care Learning Hub team can offer support and training to any services working with vulnerably housed communities across Wigan. This may include supporting discussions about service users whose health may be deteriorating.
The team can provide support to your organisation through:
- A variety of education and training sessions, including one-on-one or group teaching, to support palliative and end-of-life care learning needs.
- Collaboration with temporary housing settings to ascertain individual preferences and develop action plans to meet those preferences.
- Regular coding meetings with staff to identify deteriorating service users and support care settings in meeting their needs.
- Practical support visits to care settings when managing someone in their last few days of life, and addressing specific learning needs to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
Making a referral
If you wish to make a referral and are concerned that someone’s health is deteriorating please contact the team on 01942 525566 or email PDT@wlh.org.uk
Training programme and resources
Information for health and social care professionals.
Vulnerably Housed Palliative Care Project - Update.