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  3. End of Life Care

Service : Palliative Care Service

  • Service overview
  • Accessing our service
  • Where you feel comfortable
  • Managing your health
  • Contact us and FAQs
  • Related services
  • External support

Service overview

Our palliative care service offers a place of comfort and dignity for you and your family. Palliative care is specialised support for people living with serious or life-limiting illnesses. It focuses on relieving pain, managing symptoms, and providing emotional and psychological support.

Helping you live as well and as comfortably as possible, regardless of your stage of illness.

We can also support you if you decide to receive palliative care in your own home.

Accessing our service

If you're thinking about palliative care, your GP or the care team on your ward will be happy to talk through your options and guide you through the referral process.

You’re very welcome to visit our rooms and meet our team to learn more about the service, so you can make a decision that feels right for you and your family.

Where you feel comfortable

Our Rainbow Rooms

Our Rainbow Rooms are dedicated spaces at our Highclere and Donnington wards, where we offer 24 hour support.

They’re equipped to accommodate your needs, and your family members and carers who wish to stay with you. You’ll be looked after by our consultants and GPs who specialise in end of life medicine and therapy.

We may offer both larger rooms and single side rooms, based availability.   

We also welcome other visitors from other hospitals and teams if you’re receiving care from another specialist. We have access to other departments and services to cater for your care needs, such as:

•    renal dialysis unit next to our hospital
•    CT scanners on site
•    X-ray department
•    pathology department

You’re welcome to come and visit our rooms and meet our team before you make a decision to use our service.

Watch our video about our Rainbow Rooms. 

Care in your home

Our community nurses can support you if you decide to receive care in your home.

We can help with symptom management to make sure you’re comfortable, and guide your family and carers with advice on your care plan. Please speak to your GP or healthcare professional at our hospital for more information.

Managing your health

Patient appointment

Your e-Health Passport

Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.

Learn more

Contact us and FAQs

West Berkshire Community Hospital

Palliative Care Service

Contact number: 0163 527 3556

Alternate contact number: 01635 273 550

Post Address: RG12 122

Location details

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I visit my loved one?

We welcome visitors at any time for patients staying with us in palliative care. 

We understand how important it is to be surrounded by loved ones, and we do our best to keep visiting flexible and open. Occasionally, we may need to make adjustments, such as if you're feeling very tired or receiving treatment for an an infectious disease.

We do ask that visitors respect the privacy and wellbeing of other patients at our ward, particularly outside of normal working hours.

Can I meet your team and view the facilities?

You’re welcome to come and visit our rooms and meet our team before you decide to use our service.

You can also watch our video on our Rainbow Rooms. 

  • Watch the Rainbow Rooms video

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.  

  • Find out more
How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

  • telephone interpreting
  • video remote interpreting (VRI)
  • face‑to‑face interpreting
  • written translation
  • British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
  • Learn more
How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

  • British Sign Language (BSL)
  • large print
  • braille
  • audio
  • easy Read
  • email
  • text message
  • face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

  • Learn more
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

Treating our team with respect.

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.

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Related services

Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Service

  • Children & young people
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Comfort and guidance for patients, family, friends, carers, and staff of all faiths, and those who don’t belong to a faith.

Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Service: Go to service

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  • Adults

Specialist rehabilitation for neurological conditions, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, or head or spinal injuries.

Community Based Neuro-Rehabilitation Service: Go to service

External support

Sue Ryder

Sue Ryder provide specialist palliative and end of life care services across Reading, Newbury and Wokingham. 

  • Visit Sue Ryder to find local support

Thames hospice

Thames hospice provide specialist palliative and end of life care services within East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire 

  • Visit Thames hospice to find local support
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