Most people would prefer to maintain their independence and stay living in their own homes whenever they can. St Christopher’s at Home nurses who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — make that possible. Together with our doctors and social workers, they care for around 800 people in their own homes every day, working with the patient’s own GP and district nurse to make sure that the best help is available at the right time.

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With regard to admissions, referral to St Christopher's can be by a patient's GP, hospital doctor, district nurse, hospital or community palliative care team. Self referral is also possible via an appropriate health professional. The patient would normally reside within the catchment area. St Christopher's admits patients into the hospice wards in the following circumstances: - in advanced stages of their illness - for a short time to get difficult symptoms under control.

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Illness can make it harder to meet with other people and to continue a healthy social life. The Day Unit at St Christopher’s offers the opportunity to meet and share experiences with other people ‘in the same boat’, adding new pleasures to your life.    The unit is managed by a small nursing team, who work closely with our home care nursing team and other community health and social care teams to co-ordinate your physical and emotional needs in the best way possible.

Also, the day unit is a place where you can make new friends, have your hair done, enjoy a massage, or join in one of the many activities or therapies on offer. Our aim is to meet your individual care needs whilst offering an opportunity to boost your confidence in a social setting.  Click here for more information

Out patient clinics are available to patients being looked after at home .They include appointments to see a consultant, a Chaplain, physiotherapists, social worker, welfare advisor, complementary therapists and other hospice services.

We have a library and bookshop. The Bookshop at St Christopher’s comprises of a core collection of books and articles on hospice and palliative care.  Please click here for further information on our library.  Please click here for further information on our bookshop.

Living your life creatively at the end of life can be important in order to gain new experiences and learn new skills. A range of art sessions – both individual and group – are available to patients and carers in all hospice settings such as the Inpatient Unit, the Day Unit, and a variety of community locations such as your own  home and care homes.

You can engage with artists and therapists in activities that include music, painting, pottery, creative writing, photography and film making. Patients and carers tell us that capturing their life story or experiences through the arts can be a rewarding and meaningful experience. The artists also run a range of ''Health Promotion'' projects with local community groups such as Primary and Secondary schools, local faith groups and GP surgeries.  These community groups visit the hoospice, meet with patients and carers and create artwork together in order to learn about the hospice and the work that we do together.  A number of community art exhibitions take place annually in order to display the artwork created in all of our sessions for the general public.  A range of complementary therapies such as massage, aromatherapy, relaxation and acupuncture are also delivered by our nurse therapists. All of these sessions are delivered both on the hospice site and also in the home.

We offer Bereavement Support Service for friends and families, social, spiritual and psychological support.
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Our Allied Health Professions Team – physiotherapists, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and dietician aim to improve quality of life by minimising the effects of disease or its treatment, helping people to maintain independence and get relief from any distressing symptoms.  Please click here for further information

We have created The Candle Project for bereaved children and young people and as a resource for teachers, parents and care professionals.  Please click here for further information

	We have a team of qualified and experienced Social    workers who support people facing the emotional and   psychological consequences of someone close to them  dying.Children and young people may also need help in  understanding the illness and the changes it has caused.  Our Welfare Officers are on hand to help with money worries, benefits claims, and housing problems.
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Take a tour around St Christopher's and find out more about   our services and facilities

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