The Macmillan Supportive and Palliative Care Service is a model of multidisciplinary integrated palliative care across Manchester. It provides seamless care to those in the last year of life.

The service is delivered by MLCO staff in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. Macmillan provided £5.2 million to establish the service working with us and Manchester Health and Care Commissioning. It is based on international best practice and was piloted as the North Manchester palliative care service. The model of multidisciplinary integrated palliative care has been rolled out citywide during 2019-2020.

It follows the principles of the ‘Midhurst model’, ensuring all clinicians communicate daily to wrap services around the patient. Key to the model is care co-ordination of the specialist palliative care teams in partnership with district nurses.

The new city wide service has three local hubs – in the North, Central and South of the city. The specialist palliative care team is multi-disciplinary; with full integration with district nurses, community teams, general practice, local hospices and hospitals so seamless care can be offered to those in their last year of life. The service is supported by palliative care consultants and a GP with specialist interest in palliative medicine. A clinician is available to triage all calls and referrals to the service, responding as necessary to patient needs and ensuring that support will be given in a timely manner.

Feedback from a district nurse in North Manchester said;

“Daily meetings with district nurses from the four neighbourhoods has been hailed as a massive success and led to real integrated working. It proved extremely successful from the outset, leading to very positive feedback from all team members and, more importantly, patients and families. It has greatly enhanced care and support – patients are now aware that the district nurses and Macmillan nurses talk to each other and this provides a high level of confidence.”