We're here to help you achieve the best possible quality of life, whether that’s through helping relieve your symptoms, supporting you and your loved ones at a difficult time, or advising you on practical issues.

What support can I expect when I arrive?

When you first come to the hospice, you’ll be able to discuss how you feel and what you need from us with one of our doctors or an experienced nurse. We'll help you think about what matters to you most, and how we can help you in the best way.

We'll make sure any immediate difficulties you’re having, such as pain or breathlessness, are taken care of as soon as possible. Our hospice team is highly experienced in controlling pain and helping to relieve symptoms.

Will you support my family or carer?

As well as nursing and medical care, we’re here to offer you and your family whatever social, practical, emotional and spiritual support you need.

Find out more about the support we offer to family members in the section below.

Who co-ordinates my care while I'm at the hospice?

If you're staying with us, our nurses will co-ordinate your care throughout your stay and will be the main point of contact for you and your family.

Find out more about our facilities in the section further down this page.

 You don't have to be staying in the hospice to receive support. Our day services are always free for people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones.

The Wellbeing Centre

The Wellbeing Centre offers a wide variety of activities for any adult living with any terminal illness who is registered with a Liverpool or Knowsley GP. We provide both individual and group sessions, which are run either face to face or virtually. We also run wellbeing days, when you can visit the centre, take part in activities and get a feel for what we do.

We offer a range of activities, including yoga, Tai Chi, relaxation techniques, gentle exercise sessions, crafts, and a patient and carer group.

To access the Wellbeing Centre, you can either refer yourself (contact us for details), or contact the healthcare professional in charge of your or your loved one's care. This might be your Community Palliative Care Team, GP, hospital consultant or District Nurse. Or you can arrange to visit the wellbeing centre to speak to staff and see what we do.

If you'd like to know more about the Wellbeing Centre, Liverpool and the services we offer, call 0151 801 1470 or email mchl.administration@nhs.net.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies are used alongside conventional medical treatment and traditional forms of palliative care to provide relaxation for our patients and their families. They provide a holistic approach to palliative care.

Therapies include aromatherapy, reflexology, Indian head massage, reiki and relaxation.

The service is open to inpatients, outpatients, patients who attend the Wellbeing Centre, and family members. Home visits are also available for patients who are unable to attend the hospice.

ROOTS (Rejuvenating Our Own True Selves) service

This service runs one day a week and is made up of different sessions, including:

• Exercise and falls risk group
• Creative wellbeing
• Relaxation
• Yoga
• Life Stories
• Breathlessness Management.

You can attend one or two sessions or come for the whole day. You can self-refer yourself for this service by speaking to a member of the hospice team, as well as being referred through your GP. View the ROOTS brochure for more information.

Medical clinics

You can come to our clinics at the hospice for a one-to one consultation with one of our specialist doctors.

Pain clinic – You may be referred to our consultant who specialises in helping to reduce or control pain. They will look at the various options to help control your pain such as pain relief medication, blocking painful impulses (nerve blocks and epidurals) and exercises.

Ask your GP, nurse or hospital consultant about getting a referral to any of these services. For more details about any of the services, please phone 0151 801 1470.

You'll also find a range of information and support online for if you've been recently diagnosed or you're living with a terminal illness. And you can call our Support Line to get practical information and emotional support, whatever your situation.

If you need extra care and attention our specialist team may be able to help relieve your immediate problems such as pain or breathlessness. They will make sure you are as comfortable as possible.

Most people return home within a couple of weeks with the community services they need. We can also arrange for equipment or adaptations to people’s homes.

If you can’t return home because you still need support, we will advise you and your family on how to find nursing or residential care. Many people come back to our day services for continuing care and support.

We care for some people at the end of their lives making them as comfortable as possible. We also support their carers, families and children.

Facilities

Our in-patient unit has 26 beds offering a mixture of single en-suite rooms and shared accommodation. Some rooms open onto a landscaped garden courtyard.

All rooms offer privacy and each bed area has a television and earphones. We have free broadband internet access for people with laptops.

Visitors

We can accommodate your loved ones if they'd like to stay overnight. There are comfortable areas around the building where your loved ones can relax.

Our dining room is open for visitors at mealtimes and there are also vending machines in the reception area.

To get in-patient care at the hospice, you'll need to ask your GP, nurse or hospital consultant if they think you could benefit from our services and if they will refer you.

Find out more about our in-patient services, please call 0151 801 1438 or download our Caring For You brochure.

Here for you and your loved ones

Social workers can advise on many things, such as housing, benefits and getting the support you need to manage at home. They can also help you to cope with any psychological aspects of illness such as anxiety or depression.

Support for children and young people

Our Children and Young Person’s Counsellor offers emotional support to children closely related to our patients. They can visit children at the hospice, in their homes or in another suitable place such as a school.

Bereavement support

We provide bereavement support for loved ones dealing with the loss of someone close.

Services are open to the loved ones of patients who have received care from the Marie Curie Hospice.

Spiritual care

Our Hospice Chaplain is here to support you spiritually. Whether you're religious or not, the support will normally be one to one, and will always be specific to your needs and given without judgement or assumptions about your personal beliefs.

Please speak to Ruth, our Hospice Chaplain, to find out more about the support that's available.

Ruth Pryce, Hospice Chaplain

Please speak to a member of staff or give us a call to find out more.

You'll find a range of information and support online for people living with a terminal illness, and their families. This includes information:

• if you've recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness
• if you're living with a terminal illness
• if you're caring for someone
• about what to do when someone dies
• about benefits and finances
• about our bereavement support service.

You can also call our Support Line on 0800 090 2309* to get practical information and emotional support, whatever your situation. If you are looking for regular support from a volunteer you can sign up to our Companion over the phone service.

*Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones. Your call may be recorded for quality and training purposes.

We have a full team of professionals on hand, including specialist nurses and doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, complementary therapists, social workers and a chaplaincy service.

We work in partnership with other professionals involved in your care, such as your GP, District Nurse, hospital consultant and clinical nurse specialists.

Kelly Knighting-Wykes, Head of Fundraising North England

Helen Burns, Ward Sister/Charge Nurse

Emma Shaw, Ward Sister

Lynne Jones, Ward Sister

Sue Stirzaker, Ward Sister

Lorna Richardson, Day Therapy Team Leader

Zoe Furnivall, Fundraising Integration Lead

Karen Allen, Principal Social Worker

Dr Ami Nwosu, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Research Lead

What are the bedrooms like?

Our in-patient unit has 20 beds offering a mixture of single en-suite rooms and shared accommodation. Some rooms open onto a landscaped courtyard garden.

All rooms offer privacy and each bed area has a television and earphones. We have WiFi access throughout the hospice.

Where would I receive day services?

In our day services unit, which offers clinical support, rehabilitation, emotional support, practical advice and complementary therapies. Read more about the day services we offer in the section about how we can help you further up the page.

Is there somewhere to get food?

Our usual meal times are:

• Breakfast: 8am or when you wake up
• Lunch: 12.15pm
• Evening meal: 5.15pm

All food is freshly prepared and cooked by our chef. We always try to offer a wide choice of dishes, but you can also let us know if you have any special requests or dietary needs.

You can also request food outside of our usual meal times depending on when you want to eat. You can eat your meals in your room or in the conservatory.

If your visitors want to bring food for you, please check with our staff, so we can make sure the food can be stored and eaten safely.

What about the gardens?

The hospice has two courtyard gardens, designed to be relaxing spaces to sit in and relax with family and friends. Maintained by our team of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, the garden planting offers colour all year round.

Are there facilities for advanced life support?

No, we don't have the specialist equipment to offer advanced life support. If you have any questions about this please ask your doctor or nurse.

If you're planning to visit the hospice either to see someone in our care or to find out more about what we offer, you may find the section below on our visitor information useful, too.

Our hospice visiting hours are flexible as we want your family and friends to feel they’re welcome to visit you at any time.

You may want to be mindful that lots of visitors and late visits might be tiring for you. Do tell us if you’re expecting visitors particularly early or late, or if you want some time on your own, so that we can inform reception.

Your visitors can visit you in your room. You’re also welcome to use the family area, reception area and courtyards.

If you have a large family, or are expecting a lot of visitors at once, please discuss this with our staff. And if you wish to leave the hospice to go out for a short time, please let us know so we’re aware of where you are.

Children

We welcome visiting children at our hospice. We only ask that they are supervised at all times while they are in the hospice.

Pets

We know that pets can have a really positive effect on people. So if you have a pet you’d like to see, it may be possible to bring it in. Please check with us first before making arrangements for your pet to visit, and we’ll try to make it possible for you to do so.

Smoking

We have a smoke-free policy inside our hospice building.

Parking

Parking at the hospice is free, but there are limited spaced available.

Staying over

Family members or friends are welcome to stay overnight at the hospice. Please let us know in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Although we have a limited number of visitor beds, we’ll try our best to accommodate guests whenever possible.

Toilets and shower

Toilets for visitors are located on the ground floor, near reception and the lifts. We also have a shower room for visitors’ use, located in the overnight stay room.

Local amenities

Please ask at reception for details on local amenities such as a pharmacy, florist, restaurants and cafés.

You may hear people using the term palliative care. This type of care focuses on helping you to maintain the best possible quality of life.

Palliative care includes a variety of treatments to help you with any physical problems as well as your social and psychological needs. Support also extends to your family and friends who may have concerns about you and your illness.

You might receive palliative care at the same time as other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Find out more about palliative care.

As we’re unable to take responsibility for loss of or damage to your valuables at our hospice, it’s best not to bring them with you.
If you do have valuable items with you, please ask our nursing staff to lock them away while you’re staying with us.

We want to make sure that our patients and their families receive the best possible care and support from us. Carrying out research is one way to help us understand the needs of patients and families, and how we can best meet those needs.

From time to time, we invite patients and families we are caring for to be involved in research studies. If you are interested in taking part, read more in this leaflet  . or find out more about research at our hospices.

See all our statements of purpose by nation and region.

You are legally entitled to read your medical records. If you'd like to request a copy of your records, please write to the hospice manager.

Any information you share with staff will be protected by our duty of confidentiality. Our staff work within their professional codes of conduct and the Data Protection Act.

If you're experiencing a problem, please talk through the matter with your nurse in the first instance, who will try to help. If you need to make a complaint, you can write to the hospice manager at the following address:

The Hospice Manager
Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool
Speke Road
Woolton
Liverpool L25 8QA

The hospice manager will try to resolve the problem quickly for you.

Alternatively, you can use our online complaints form.

Download this guide to the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool to find out more about the services we offer, how we can help you and what you can expect from us.