PPG Meeting - 19/02/2019

Present: 4 PPG members and Brenda Nasr (Practice Manager)

Apologies: 7 PPG Members

Guest Speaker: Janet Hughes Evans - Marie Curie Helper Service Liverpool

The PPG were pleased that Jan could come along and have a chat with us about the Helper Service at Marie Curie.

This service was set up in 2012 to help Patients and their Carers to deal with a Cancer Diagnosis, Giving them support and help. Many Patients find they cannot talk to their relatives during this time. They try their best to be brave and cope as best as they can. The Helper Service offers a listening ear, a friend that can be accompany them to appointments, take them or a coffee or just chat about ordinary things.

Patients are normally referred by Healthcare Professionals, Social Care, a Self-referral can be made but Marie Curie will have to contact the Patients GP for confirmation. The help is for twelve months, three hours per week. A carer can get support for twelve weeks after the Patient has passed away should they need help and support.

The Helper becomes like a friend to the Patient and is there to the Patient and there to support them. The Group thought it was a very good service and it was good to know the service existed and was there to help terminally ill Patients at their most vulnerable.