Palliative care team await green light

THE team behind a new palliative care centre at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston are confident they will be able to go ahead with the �1.5m centre soon despite awaiting the results of an end-of-life report.

NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney (NHS GYW) has completed phase two of the delivering end-of-life care survey to determine what services should be provided for people with terminal illnesses in the Yarmouth borough.

Once NHS GYW has finished the third and final phase of the report, establishing what facilities should be provided, the palliative care team will be clear to start the building process for the centre in the hospital's grounds.

Patrick Blossfeldt, lead consultant in palliative care at the hospital, explained the second phase of the report recommended the type of services that should be provided, including a telephone line and specialist psychological support and information.

The third phase provides a clear vision of the type of facilities that should provide these services, including a clear shape for the buildings and the running costs involved.

Mr Blossfeldt said he was confident the NHS GYW planners would give the go ahead for the centre, though he did not know when this would be.

Once the go ahead has been given, architects will draw up detailed plans for the building which will then go out to tender. Plans will then be submitted to Yarmouth Borough Council for approval and, assuming this is given, building work will begin.

However, Mr Blossfeldt warned it could be one-and-a-half years from NHS GYW giving the go ahead to the completion of the centre.

He said: 'We all want to see the diggers going in and the centre taking shape, and the excitement is still there and there is a certain amount of frustration on our side that we can't go ahead quite yet.

'Members of the public are asking us the same question as they want to see it taking shape.'