End of life care
Palliative care, also known as end-of-life care, is for people nearing the end of their lives due to illness.
It addresses medical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and families through:
- Helping cope with diagnosis, illness progression
- Managing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs
- Pain and symptom management
- Accessing support services (financial advice, spiritual care)
- Care throughout illness, death, and into bereavement
NHS palliative care in Essex
NHS Trusts in Essex offer palliative care services in hospitals and the community. Services are accessed through referrals from GPs or healthcare professionals involved in the patient’s care.
Trusts providing palliative care
- Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (North and South Essex)
- Mid Essex NHS Trust
- NHS East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Advance directives
An advance directive is a document outlining a person’s wishes for future medical treatment, including life-sustaining treatments, when they can no longer make decisions.
Hospices in Essex
Six hospices in Essex specialise in palliative care, offering services like in-patient wards, day therapies, and community support:
- St Helena Hospice (Colchester)
- Farleigh Hospice (Chelmsford)
- Saint Francis Hospice (Romford)
- Fair Havens Hospice (Southend)
- St Clare Hospice (Harlow)
- St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow)
Hospices accept referrals from healthcare professionals and, in some cases, self-referrals.
Bereavement support
Various organisations in Essex provide emotional support during bereavement, such as counselling and support groups. For more information, refer to the Bereavement Services section
Further information on the NHS website: