A TEAM of caring St Richard’s Hospice community nurses are celebrating after moving into a new base above the charity’s shop in Evesham High Street.

The team of six consists of St Richard’s clinical nurse specialists Phyllis Coates, Karen Palmer, Pam Clark and Sue Thurston alongside senior staff nurses Catherine Wheeler and Charlotte Jordan.

They offer free specialist care and support to patients and their loved ones affected by a life-limiting illness who live in Evesham, Pershore and the Bredon and Broadway areas.

Working from the High Street base allows the nurses to more time caring for local patients and saves on driving time to the hospice headquarters in Worcester between visits to write up notes and make telephone calls.

In the last year the full St Richard’s community nursing team supported more than 1,200 patients in Worcestershire.

Of these 146 patients and 171 family members from Evesham were cared for and supported by the dedicated team with another 79 referrals for patients living in Pershore and 47 individuals in the Broadway and Bredon areas.

Patients are living with a range of life-limiting conditions including motor neurone disease (MND), heart failure, renal and respiratory conditions as well as Parkinson’s and cancer.

Nurse specialist Sue Thurston explained: “as well as having extensive knowledge on managing symptoms we also can offer advice and guidance to a patient’s loved ones.

"Patients often see us as offering continuity and being the central co-ordinator for their care.

“We have the time to talk and explain as some patients can become confused by the different health care professionals and amount of information they need to understand.”

Catherine Wheeler added: “Families also find it very comforting that the hospice offers a 24-hour telephone advice service so they can call at any time – even in the middle of the night - if they have concerns or anxieties about their symptoms.”

Charlotte Jordan said: “Sometimes patients are very hesitant when we arrive and you can see they are thinking, ‘I’m not so ill that I need a hospice nurse.

"But after we have talked and explained how we can help that feeling changes. Modern hospice care is very much about improving a patient’s quality of life and helping them live as fully as they can.”

Patients who would like support from St Richard’s Hospice can be referred by their GP, consultant, district nurse or other healthcare professional. Patients, or a person close to them can call 01905 763963.