AM visits constituency centre caring for the terminally ill

Staff from Marie Curie Cancer Care and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board have introduced David Rees AM to the team dedicated to the care of people living with a terminal illness in the Neath Port Talbot area.

The Friday 23^rd January visit provided the opportunity for Mr Rees to learn more about the patient focussed care being carried out at the NHS Resource Centre in Port Talbot.

The centre is home to an innovative scheme managed through a partnership between Marie Curie and Abertawe Bro Mogannwg University Health Board (ABMUHB), which sees the charity’s nursing service working alongside the health board’s community team. The co-located nature of these services means that Marie Curie’s nursing staff have direct access to a variety of health professionals at the centre, meaning they can quickly provide tailored-care to meet the changing needs of individual patients.

During the visit, Mr Rees met Marie Curie’s Clinical Nurse Manager for South East Wales, Rhian Evans and Leslie Sarginson, Marie Curie Senior Nurse Co-ordinator, who explained how the managed care service hosted at the centre cares for people who are terminally ill right across Neath and Port Talbot county borough, day and night.

 Mr Rees also spoke with Shan Tanner, ABMUHB District Nurse Manager and Clare Shill, NHS Wales Continuing Healthcare Nurse, who provided details on how different organisations in the NHS Resource Centre work together to ensure the best possible care for those who need it.

 Following his visit, David Rees AM said: “I very much welcome these initiatives within Port Talbot and the partnership that exists between Marie Curie and the ABMU Health Board. These will benefit patients and their families within the area and ensure appropriate care and support is provided.”

Rhian Evans, Clinical Nurse Manager for Marie Curie, added: “We were delighted to welcome local Assembly Member David Rees to the Resource Centre to give him an insight into the work we carry out to care for and support people in his constituency living with terminal illnesses. It is encouraging to see our local representative showing such a keen interest in our services and taking the opportunity to learn about the challenges we face in administering these important services.”

Last year in Wales, the charity, which employs 420 people in Wales, including 160 nurses and health care assistants, provided care to more than 3,000 terminally ill patients and their families at home or in the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale.

Wales is also home to the charity’s National Support Centre in Pontypool. The centre is the charity’s UK hub for fundraising, volunteering and referral centre. Marie Curie Nurse referrals from across the UK are co-ordinated here.

The charity also funds the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, Cardiff, which conducts high quality research in a number of areas including patient experience, rehabilitation, thrombosis and end of life methodologies.

For more information about Marie Curie’s services please visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk.