St Joseph’s Ward
Compassionate Specialist Palliative Care
St Joseph’s Ward is a Specialist Palliative Care in-patient unit located within St Margaret of Scotland Hospice. It offers compassionate care to individuals living with progressive life-limiting illnesses.
Admission Criteria
Patients are admitted to St Joseph’s Ward if they are facing complex physical or psychosocial symptoms resulting from their illness, and if they are reaching the end of life. The admission process may be initiated by the Primary Care Team, which could be a GP, District Nurse, or Hospital Team. Often, a 24-hour assessment is conducted to evaluate symptoms throughout the day and night.
The Multi-disciplinary Care Team
The patients admitted to St Joseph’s Ward receive care from a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team. This team is proficient in addressing the holistic domains of care, including physical, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects. The support for family, carers, and friends is also integral to the care provided during the patient's stay.
Comfortable and Well-equipped Rooms
Each room in St Joseph’s Ward is thoughtfully designed to promote comfort and a sense of calm. The rooms are equipped with a bed, which may include a pressure-relieving mattress if needed. Additionally, there is a comfortable recliner chair, wardrobe, drawers, and storage facilities. Patients can enjoy entertainment through a TV/DVD player and have access to multiple electrical points for specialised equipment and charging personal devices.
Staying Connected with Loved Ones
Upon admission, patients are encouraged to bring their personal devices, such as Alexa, Google Home, or other devices for music and entertainment, to stay connected with the outside world, family, and friends. The hospice staff can assist in setting up personal accounts for accessing personalised programs and music. However, all personal devices need to undergo Pat Testing by the Hospice Maintenance Team before use.
Activity-based Programme and Bedside Sessions
St Joseph’s Ward offers a sessional activity-based program facilitated by the Hospice Therapy Team, providing opportunities for patients to participate in various activities. For those who have difficulty leaving their bed or room, a variety of sessions can be delivered at the bedside. These sessions include Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, Complementary Therapies, chair, and bed Yoga, relaxation techniques, Life Story Journaling, letter writing, arts and crafts, games, and access to a library service with a selection of books.
The holistic and compassionate approach at St Joseph’s Ward ensures that patients receive the best possible care during their stay, while also valuing the importance of supporting their loved ones through the challenging times.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Hospice Team encourage everyone to pack small items and personal belongings which will foster comfort and calm.
In addition, everyone is encouraged to pack toiletries of choice, nightwear, underwear, outdoor clothing (fleece, cardigan or zipper hoodie), comfortable and well-fitting shoes, and loungewear to ensure comfort and cosiness when outside. The Hospice Gardens are beautiful and have been created with peace in mind. Whether someone can be out of bed or not, spending time in the Hospice Gardens is recommended.
When packing devices, we recommend all chargers are packed too. Once Pat Testing has taken place, devices can be safely used. The Hospice Team will ensure all devices are charged overnight ahead of each new day to assure seamless connectivity. We encourage all to connect with family and friends via Facetime if possible and the Hospice Team are happy to encourage and facilitate this, most especially to say good morning and good night.
The Hospice Garden Room Catering Team provide all meals, tea, coffee, soft drinks, aperitifs, and small snacks, such as fruit, yoghurts, custards, creamed rice puddings, smoothies, ice-lollies, sandwiches, crisps, biscuits and cakes.
Breakfast is served form 0800, however if a later breakfast is preferred, this can be arranged with the Ward Hostess. Lunch is served at 1300 and supper 1800. Between times, there are small snacks and drinks available. Tea, coffee and cold drinks are served throughout the day, mid-morning, afternoon tea and evening. Warm milk drinks such as hot chocolate, Horlicks or Ovaltine are served late evening prior to sleeping.
Aperitifs are served as and when preferred, and whilst the Hospice will have a selection of wines, beers and spirits available, those who have a preference of alcoholic beverage are encouraged to pack this for personal use. All alcohol is stored in a central drinks trolley and served in the evenings by the Ward Hostess and when requested.
For those who are able to be out of bed, the Hospice Garden Room Restaurant is a wonderful environment to spend time with family and friends. The Garden Room menu changes daily and serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and supper. A selection of speciality tea, coffee and cold drinks are available alongside sweet treats baked by the Hospice Pastry Chef.
In general, family and friends are welcome to visit the Hospice between the hours of 1500 to 1700 and 1900 to 2000.
Visiting for family and friends is shaped around personal care episodes and mealtimes. The timing of visiting is discretionary, as often, if families wish to participate in mealtime or if someone is unwell, the timeframe of visiting may change.
Please speak with the Nurse in Charge of the Inpatient Unit to discuss further if you wish to visit out with the suggested timeframes, as we recognise a visit from family and friends can make all the difference in the world.
St Margaret of Scotland Hospice has a ‘No Smoking Policy’ which alludes to patients, staff, family, friends and any visitors to the Hospice.
For those staying in the Hospice, it is important to know all rooms are supplied with piped oxygen. All smoking materials are prohibited.
All questions should be directed to the Nurse in Charge.
Pharmacological supplies supporting the medical management of someone’s care will be supplied by the Hospice. If other medications are currently being utilised, for example over the counter medications or CBD oils, please share this information with the Hospice Team to ensure all safety parameters are considered.
As all drugs/medications have both contraindications and side effects, the Hospice Team would prefer to have an awareness of other drugs in use, to ensure all prescribed treatments are considered and planned in a safe and effective manner.
For those where English is not the first language, the Hospice Team will be delighted to contact and work in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Interpreting Services.