Caring for someone who is seriously ill with a terminal illness can be difficult and sometimes lonely and confusing
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Help and support for families and carers
You are not alone
Emergency numbers for help and support
24/7 help line for symptom management:
Marie Curie rapid response 0330 123 1014
District Nursing:
For planned palliative care 0300 777 0002
Hospice at Home:
Support during the day 03000 271283 or 03000 271284
Night support:
Marie Curie night sits 0121 752 9305
Bereavement support and counselling:
For relatives, Lakelands Hospice 01536 747755 (Mon-Fri 9-5pm, excluding Bank Holidays)
Carers support
Northamptonshire Carers offers a confidential telephone support service for anyone with a care related question or problem:
01933 677907 lines are open Monday–Friday from 9 – 12 noon and 1 – 4 pm.
For out of hours telephone support call 01908 260444 or email carers@northamptonshire-carers.org or complete an online carers referral form by clicking the button below:
Carers Assessment
A Carers Assessment will help identify what impact your caring responsibilities are having on you and what support you might need to continue your caring responsibilities should you wish to.
Social Care
You can request an assessment to discuss your care and support needs if you are finding it difficult to look after yourself.
Can we get funding for Continuing Healthcare?
To be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, your need must be primarily health related, and thought to be complex, substantial and ongoing. It is not means tested and it can cover up to 100% of care costs.
Bereavement support
Experiencing the loss of a family member can be extremely distressing. Our online Grief Chat is a free service, alternatively you can contact the support team at Lakelands Hospice who can help you through the emotional impact of grief.
Financial support
If you feel you need financial support, you should visit your local council website to request an assessment.
Emotional and spiritual care
The Patient and Family Liaison Worker can be contacted via the hospice on 03000 274200 for practical and emotional support including help with planning for care after someone is discharged from the hospice.
What to do when someone dies
If you are reading this, first of all, please accept our deepest condolences for the loss of the person you have been caring for. No matter how long someone’s illness, or how long you have had to prepare, the death of someone close can still be extremely distressing.
Here is a guide with some practical advice and support prepared by Northampton Healthcare Foundation Trust.
Expected death
If your relative or friend’s death was expected, the nurse or doctor will initially verify the death before the person can be moved. The Doctor who looked after him or her during their final illness will send the medical certificate that shows the cause of death to the registrar electronically.
Unexpected death
If your relative or friend’s death was sudden or unexpected, you should contact a doctor and the police. You will probably also want to contact close family immediately. If the cause of an unexpected death is quite clear, the doctor will send the medical certificate to the registrar electronically. If the doctor wants to know more about the cause of death they may carry out a post-mortem (medical) examination.
In certain circumstances – for example, if the cause of death is unknown, or if it was due to an accident or injury – the doctor may report it to the Coroner. The Coroner is a doctor of lawyer who looks into the cause of a death when more information is required before the death can be registered. If the examination shows that the death was due to natural causes, the Coroner will release the body for burial or cremation.
Choosing a funeral director
The choice of a funeral director is something you should consider carefully, as it is important that you should feel comfortable and confident with them.
The funeral director may ask you questions regarding your relative’s or friend’s wishes, therefore it may be useful to give this consideration before you meet. They may also be able to help with any questions you may have.
What to do when someone dies
Key information about the hospice
There are currently no visitor restrictions at Cransley Hospice, however we do recommend that where possible and depending on the health of the patient that visitor numbers are kept to between 2-4 people and within the hours or 8 am and 8 pm.
We ask that you do not visit if you have any symptoms of Covid or other infectious illness.
Return of bed/commode etc. call Millbrook: 0330 1241219
BOC oxygen equipment call Medical Gasses Monday to Friday 08:00-18:00: 0800 136603
Medical boxes/syringe drivers/district nursing notes /yellow sharps bins will be collected by district nurses.
Return medication (tablets, inhalers, medicine, patches, and medication for injection) to any chemist, not necessarily where they were dispensed from.
The difference made to patients and families in 2023
Because every moment matters…
191
Patients were cared for in the inpatient unit at Cransley Hospice
5605
Calls or visits made to patients and their families by our Hospice at Home team
1331
Treatments delivered to patients by the Lymphoedema Service
83
Memory boxes with teddies and blankets given to children to help them cope with the loss of a parent or grandparent
This is only possible with your support
