Welcome to our Wellbeing Centre

Wirral Hospice St John’s Wellbeing Centre nurtures a happy and relaxed atmosphere.

We support people to live their lives outside of the hospice, as well as they possibly can, given their diagnosed condition.

You may be referred to us by your GP, a consultant or other community or hospital health professional.

The referral process is explained here.

What is the Wellbeing Centre?

The Wellbeing Centre is part of the Hospice Outpatient department. The aim of the centre is to increase independence and give a level of support to patients who are living at home and being cared for by their GP and/or District Nurses.

Patients can attend the wellbeing centre for different reasons. All support sessions are planned around individual needs.

Attending the Wellbeing Centre enables access to a wide range of hospice professionals and volunteers, including physiotherapy, complementary therapy, counselling, occupational therapy, patient and family support, benefit advice and spiritual care.

What to expect

Following referral you will be contacted and invited to the hospice for an assessment with one of the wellbeing nurses. We will ask you to complete a short questionnaire which helps direct us to the areas that are most important to you.

Attending the assessment can take up to an hour and if you would like to bring a family member or friend with you that can be helpful. By the end of the session there will be an agreed plan of support. The focus of all the sessions is to support you to manage your  symptoms, gain more confidence at home and help maximise your quality of life at any stage of your illness.

What’s available

We offer a variety of services such as symptom support groups and more informal sessions that give emotional and social support.

Facilitated by hospice professionals, sessions are a lively exchange between people of all kinds of experience, often punctuated with laughter, but support is always there for for a range of emotions to be expressed.

The wellbeing symptom support sessions are held twice a week. These focus on some of the more physical and practical issues you may be experiencing.

Sessions include;

• Resilience
• Preparing for your appointment
• Medicines management
• Understanding pain
• Hydration
• Skin care
• Sleep hygiene
• Bowel management
• Spiritual support
• What matters most – planning ahead

Other groups / sessions include:

FAB group – fatigue, anxiety and breathlessness: offers practical advice on how to manage these debilitating symptoms that often affect you during your illness.

Adapted exercise group for those that want to maintain strength and balance. This group is facilitated by the physiotherapist and therapy assistant.

Check in and chat sessions are available for social and emotional support.

Weekly Coffee Morning – Fridays

Distraction therapies e.g. craft and baking.

All sessions are time limited and everyone has the opportunity to discuss their concerns to ensure they are receiving the right support.

How do you get here?

We ask that you arrange your own transport where possible. However, if transport is a concern for you please discuss this with a member of the team as we do have some transport available through our volunteer drivers. Please also speak to the team if you would like a family member to accompany you to the sessions.

There is some limited free parking outside the wellbeing centre entrance.

What do I need to bring?

Medication, please bring any medicines you will need whilst you are with us.

Walking / Mobility Aids. The Wellbeing Centre is a large area, please bring aids you would use at home or outside.

Communication Aids. Don’t forget hearing aids, communication boards, iPads.

A member of the team will ring the day before your session to confirm you are still able to come.