Visiting for appointments

Helpful information about visiting for your outpatient appointment

We offer a variety of services and our team will work with you to help you achieve your goals.

This might mean that you visit either our Sydenham or Orpington sites for services which include:

• nursing and medical support
• complementary therapies (massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy)
• art and music therapies
• rehabilitation gym
• breathlessness management service
• cognitive behavioural therapy
• spiritual care
• social work and welfare advice
• wellbeing groups and activities.

You can find out more about these services on our website or coming to one of our wellbeing days to which you will be invited, if appropriate, when you’re referred to St Christopher’s.

We want you to feel relaxed and comfortable on your visit. Why not enjoy a drink, delicious cake or a meal after your appointment? Café areas at both sites lead onto tranquil garden spaces which have outdoor seating to enjoy on warmer days.

We also offer a range of supportive groups and activities to all members of the community, that aim to provide a supportive and friendly atmosphere to explore your experiences and learn more about them. You can attend courses about topics such as being a carer, taking care of yourself and understanding loss; groups that help you talk with others; or take part in arts workshops and activities such as healthy walks.

Our groups are online and in person. They are also a mix of drop in and bookable.

We would love to welcome you to our groups and more information can be found at both hospice
sites, by asking a member of the St Christopher’s team or on our website.

Patient transport

Being able to provide transport to those who most need it is extremely important to us. St Christopher’s transport is a limited service run with charitable money.

So that we can continue to offer transport to everyone who needs it, we also ask that where possible you think about alternative means of transport for the future. We can help you with ideas for alternative means of transport.

Journey times and Vehicles

Please bear in mind that, as a charity funded service, we have limited vehicles which include both minibuses and cars. We may also use taxis. We will make sure your journey is booked for a vehicle appropriate to your needs and would kindly ask that:

• for morning appointments please be ready by 9am
• for afternoon appointments please be ready by 12pm

Please also note that it may not be possible to take you home immediately after your appointment finishes and that we can only offer a return journey back to your place of residence and are not able to provide stop offs. This is to make sure we can provide transport for everyone who needs it.

Cancelling

Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel your transport on 020 8768 4500. We’ll call you in advance of the appointment to confirm transport arrangements.

Benefits for mobility and additional transport costs

If you receive a benefit to assist with mobility and additional transport costs — usually a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) mobility payment — these can be used to fund your transport costs. Ask our Welfare Team for advice if you are not receiving these benefits.

Donations

If you wish to make a voluntary donation to the hospice, we would gratefully receive it. Please speak to
reception on arrival or during your visit, thank you.