Palliative Care Inpatient Unit

Our unit can accept admissions from within the Eastern Health hospital network via our hospital-based consult service, externally via your GP, community service provider (such as HARP or In Reach) or via a community palliative care service. Referrals can be sent to [email protected] for review. People are prioritised on the basis of need, where all referrals are reviewed by a team of doctors and nurses to help the right people access our unit at the right time.

Anyone with a life limiting illness who requires specialist assessment and management. This may be for management of symptoms, to maintain independence, to optimise quality of life or a supported end of life journey to achieve a good death, whatever that may be for a person and their loved ones.

Your care will be provided by a dedicated team of staff including:

· 24-hour nursing care

· Specialist palliative care doctors, from consultants, trainee specialists, medical officers including a program for training in palliative medicine through the Royal Australian College of Physicians

· Bereavement and support team including social workers, spiritual care and allied health assistants

· Allied health team including occupational therapy, speech pathology, nutrition, physical therapists and referrals to other specialist teams throughout the Eastern Health network as required

· Volunteers

Unfortunately, we do not offer tours of our unit. Our focus is on the privacy and comfort of our current patients during their stay, including our common areas and courtyards. If you have questions about what we do, or facilities offered, please call and discuss with our team.

Palliative care is for anyone who needs it, irrespective of age, diagnosis or prognosis. You can have palliative care AND treatments for a disease (e.g. chemotherapy) at the same time. We work alongside all the other teams involved in a person’s care.

Yes, the palliative care team can certainly help!

For example, the palliative care team can help improve his breathlessness, optimise supports at home, and help make plans for future care that could help avoid being admitted to hospital

Yes! We do request that visitation occurs during daylight hours to assist with the safety and security of all our patients at Wantirna, but additional visitation can be discussed depending on your needs. (Please note that any pandemic or infectious diseases management may affect visitation, but we will work with you if this occurs, to reduce distress)

Yes! Firstly, please call the ward to organise a time to visit in a safe and supported manner. Your furry friends need to feel safe too so we cannot have extended family and friends bring their own pets. Please call us and we can discuss your wishes.

We have a mix of single and shared rooms which are allocated on needs basis. Generally single rooms are kept as safe, personal spaces for people with special needs, infectious needs or who are on their final dying journey. You may be moved to another bed space during your stay to allow for the best care provision, but we will do our best to reduce moves where possible. Shared rooms are a maximum of 2 people, and we try to be situationally sensitive. We are unable to provide “private” rooms at this stage.

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to bring items that are familiar and comforting such as photos, quilt, pillow and clothing to make your stay as comfortable as possible. (Please note that, as a public health facility, we are not responsible for your belongings and valuables, and request anything of value please be kept at home. This includes cash, jewellery or electronic items and we may request these be taken home for safe keeping if they are brought into the facility)

Please see Eastern Health main webpage, Wantirna specific page or give us a call if you need more information- we are here to help!