Our supportive and palliative care team supports patients with life-limiting illnesses and complex symptom control. The team aims to provide patients with:
- symptom advice e.g. nausea and vomiting, pain, shortness of breath, constipation etc.
- emotional support for patients and their families
- information and advice
- information on other services, including financial advice and other support
- help with complex discharge arrangements and accessing services at home or hospice care
- supporting patients and their families nearing the end of life
- advice and liaison with healthcare professionals involved in your care, both in hospital and at home
- supportive care to improve quality of life for patients with a life-limiting illness
- clinical advice and education to professional staff
Our Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) is made up of:
- specialist surgeons
- oncologists
- cancer clinical nurse specialists (CNS)
- radiologists
- histopathologists
Referral details
Referrals to the team can be made via PICS/telephone from healthcare professionals. Families can also source support and advice from us.
Referrals should be made:
- when complex symptom management is needed
- when the patient's condition becomes symptomatically unstable, requiring frequent specialist assessment and evaluation
- to maintain the patients and family's emotional health while adjustments are made as the disease advances
- in response to ethical and end of life issues
- when support is needed at the end of life for patients and their families on wards across the trust
- when complex and difficult decision-making is needed for discharging patients with life-limiting diseases
- when help is needed to access community palliative and hospice care
Referrals to the team are triaged with an aim to see a patient within 48–72 hours.
Contact details
If you need to reach the supportive and palliative care team across our hospital sites, please use the contact numbers listed below:
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB)
Heartlands Hospital
Good Hope Hospital
Solihull Hospital
The team is available Monday to Friday, 08:00-18:00, and Saturday to Sunday (including bank holidays and excluding face-to-face service on Christmas Day) 08:30-16:30.
Acute Oncology Services (AOS)
For any patients on anti–cancer treatment who suffer from the below:
- a temperature of 37.5C or above
- have flu-like symptoms
- experience shivers/chills or feel poorly
Please contact the AOS 24-hour emergency helpline straight away.
Last reviewed: 07 October 2025