Latest update

Important Update from Havens Hospices Care Services - 3^rd April 2020

Our Medical and Nursing Team has taken the decision to make further changes to hospice visits inline with other healthcare organisations until further notice.

Fair Havens

• Any person admitted for symptom control cannot have visitors
• Any person who is felt to be in the last days of life is allocated one named visitor only

Little Havens

• For NHS patients and those undergoing symptom management, we ask that one parent/main carer stays with the child
• If anyone is symptomatic in the household they must remain isolated at home as per government guidelines
• For children being cared for at the end of their life, visiting is restricted to immediate family and will be discussed with families

We are taking these measures to help minimise the risk of infection for our patients, families and care staff. If you would like to discuss this, please speak with a member of the relevant Care Team or Head of Adult/Children’s Services. Thank you for your understanding.

Update from Havens Hospices Care Services – 30^th March 2020

The latest situation is that we are now working with our colleagues in the NHS across Essex to support the unprecedented demand on their services.

Fair Havens In Patient Unit

The hospice in Prittlewell remains open for patients. As of Monday 30^th March, all 16 beds will be available so we can reduce pressure on our local NHS services. This will mean a change in the way we usually work and we will support our Care and Medical Teams through this transition.

To minimise the risk of spreading the virus, staff in IPU (including housekeeping) will need to:

• Wear non uniform clothing to travel to and from work. They will then change into uniform on arrival and change out of uniform on leaving
• Uniforms will need to be laundered at 60 degrees to minimise the chance of viral contamination
• Staff who do not normally work in uniform, and who need to attend the IPU, will also be changing on arrival
• We will be trying to source scrubs or similar but in the interim staff are advised to wear clothing which can be laundered at high temperature when in the IPU

This situation is under daily review and we may need to apply stricter controls in the coming days.

Hospice at Home and Managed Care Services

These community hospice care services continue in people’s homes and we are at full capacity. The team is also helping the In Patient Unit by doing additional shifts.

Fair Havens Hub (previously Day Hospice)

Support is being provided by telephone and some of the staff are helping to care in Fair Havens IPU.

Support Staff at Fair Havens

Our brilliant Housekeepers, Catering and Maintenance Team continue to support the Care Teams at Fair Havens. Thank you – without them, we wouldn’t be able to keep the hospice open. Your dedication is very much valued.

Little Havens

Regular face-to-face respite, social and activity services at Little Havens has been suspended. This is because those families are all in the most vulnerable categories defined by the government and should be adopting the stay at home principles.

We are keeping Little Havens open to help discharge children from hospital who have complex health and social needs.  This is to free up beds in the hospital for the surge of patients we expect in the coming weeks.  It is also to protect those children and young people who are vulnerable and would be at high risk if exposed to COVID-19.

Little Havens will continue to take children who require end of life care. 

The J’s

Regular face-to-face respite, social and activity services at The J’s have now been suspended. This is because those families are all in the most vulnerable categories defined by the government and should be adopting the stay at home principles.

We are looking at ways of offering virtual support to families such as music or play therapy sessions via zoom.

Staff from The J’s may be redeployed to Little Havens or Fair Havens as we will need more staff to care for more children and adults.

Wellbeing

Face to face sessions and support groups have now been suspended. We are reviewing the packages of care from the Wellbeing Team in line with government guidelines and to focus our support where it is most needed.

Ellie Miller, Director of Care and Executive Nurse
Dr Grahame Tosh, Medical Director

If anyone receiving care from Havens Hospices has concerns or questions, they can contact 01702 220350 or email us.

Please read below previous updates, including information on fundraising events. We’ll be regularly updating this page, so please keep checking back.