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Supportive and palliative care

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: 29 September 2025