Frequently Asked Questions

Our services are available to anyone affected by a terminal illness who lives in the Teesside region. We provide care and support to you and your family from the moment of diagnosis right through to the end of life. Our care doesn’t stop there, we will take care of your family following bereavement providing them with appropriate help and support.

No, our care is for available for anyone affected by a terminal illness. This includes conditions such as respiratory disease, heart disease, Parkinson’s, motorneurone disease and multiple sclerosis - as well as cancer.

You can be referred for care by your GP, Consultant, Hospital Staff, Macmillan Nurse, Community Nurse or other Specialist Nurse. If you feel you, or someone you know, may benefit from our care then please speak to one of your healthcare professionals and ask to be referred.

Our Inpatient Unit is open every day of the year, the average length of stay is approximately 2 weeks but it's dependent on your needs and what's best for you.

Patients accessing our Wellbeing Centre and online support tend to do so until their individual needs have been met and they move on to another appropriate service.

Our specialist care is led by our Consultant in Palliative Medicine supported by doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, social workers, physiotherapists, complementary therapists, chaplains and counsellors.

Our focus is on helping you live the best possible life through caring for you in a way that’s right for you. Everybody gets treated as an individual, whether it's physical, mental or emotional support you need. We will support you to stay as independent as possible, for as long as possible.

Yes, we will always discuss care plans and suggested treatments with you (and your relatives if you wish). We are committed to providing high quality care and before any member of staff examines or treats you, they will seek your permission or consent to do so.

If at any stage, you’re not able to consent, we’ll do what we think is in your best interests. Anything you’ve said previously about how you wish to be cared for and the views of other people important to you will be taken into account.

Please feel free to discuss this with a member of the team.

Your privacy and dignity is something we take seriously. Confidential information you provide will not be shared with your family or friends without your consent.

There may, however, be times when it’s important for us to share relevant information in order to plan your care, particularly when your family or carers will be involved in this. We’ll discuss your preferences first about sharing information and respect your wishes.

As part of your care, we may need to exchange relevant clinical information within the wider Teesside Hospice team or with other professionals involved in your care such as your GP, doctors who work out of hours and hospital staff.

If you are a patient and would like access to your medical records, or copies of hospice correspondence regarding your treatment, please ask a member of our team.

No, all our care is free of charge.

Yes, at anytime. To respect other people's privacy, please set your phone to silent and ask your visitors to use their mobiles away from patient areas.

Smoking isn’t permitted within the hospice building, for the safety and comfort of all patients and staff. There's a designated outside smoking area for patients use only.

Patients may be assisted by their family/carer to gain access to this area. We respectively request that all visitors refrain from smoking on hospice grounds.

Whatever you like! We have a daily menu and if there’s not something on there that you fancy, let us know.

All meals are freshly prepared by our chefs; we also have dieticians on hand if you need any help or advice.

Yes. We understand your pet is important to you and welcome them to visit but please discuss this with a member of your nursing team before hand.

While they’re here, we ask that pets are kept under control and that dogs are kept on a lead.

We hope you’ll never have reason to complain but if there’s something you’re not happy with, please tell us so we can try to put matters right. You can find out more about making a complaint here.

Yes. Please visit https://www.teessidehospice.org/privacy-policy/