People in Bedfordshire who need advice, guidance, or reassurance about palliative and end-of-life care can now call 111 and select Option 4 for expert help, 24/7.
This new service provides one easy point of contact for patients, families, carers, and healthcare professionals, no matter the diagnosis or stage of illness.
What’s more no referral from a health professional is needed. You can just call.
The advice line is the result of a unique collaboration between Keech Hospice in Luton, Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Bedfordshire, and the NHS, working together to make access to palliative care simpler and faster, offering more reassurance.
Your care. Your call. Better. Together. For you.
If you or someone you care for is living with a terminal illness in Bedfordshire, call 111 and select Option 4, any time, day or night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can call NHS 111 option 4?
- Patients aged 18 or over living in Bedfordshire with a life-limiting condition
- Family members, carers or friends calling about someone who needs palliative support
- Any health or social-care professionals including GPs, district nurses, staff in care or nursing homes or other care providers can call on behalf a patient too
If you are not registered with Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, Keech or supported by a palliative care team you can still call!
When should you call?
Palliative care is about more than end-of-life. It’s about living well, with comfort, choice, and support, while planning for what matters most.
You should consider calling NHS 111 Option 4 when:
- You, or the person you are caring for has a life-limiting or serious progressive illness for advice and support on how to live well and in comfort. You don’t have to be in the final weeks of life.
You need specialist advice or support to manage your symptoms. This could be pain, breathlessness, nausea, distress, or other symptoms. You can call if you need help with emotional, psychological, social, or practical issues too - You or your carer are unsure what kind of care or support you need, or need guidance on what services are available to you locally, including hospice care, community nursing, home care, or making a referrals. We can signpost you, give advice, or even help to arrange a referral.
- If it’s out-of-hours, for example in the evening, at night, over a weekend or during a bank holiday. If you regular GP surgery or community service is not available, NHS 111 Option 4 is just one call away and operates 24/7.
- You need help with ‘non-emergency but serious needs’. For example crisis support for you or a carer, or help arranging care so that you don’t have to go to hospital.
What should I expect when I call NHS 111 Option 4?
When you Dial NHS 111, you will be given a list of menu options.
For palliative or end-of-life care support, select option 4 for palliative care.
You will be connected directly to a palliative care professional and they will:
• Assess your needs
• Give advice
• Signpost you to services who can help
• Coordinate any care you might need
• Make a referral to a service to support you, if needed.
Sometimes, in very busy periods our team can’t immediately take your call in which case you will be transferred to 111 who will support you or connect you back to us as soon as a line is free.
Remember, our team is available 24/7 so you can call at any time.
You don’t need to have to be receiving care from a health professional or one of our local hospices either.
What support can NHS 111 Option 4 offer?
When you call, the expert team can help with:
- Advice on managing symptoms like pain, breathlessness, nausea or anxiety
- Emotional, psychological, social support and guidance for you or someone caring for you.
- Help with planning and coordinating your care, putting you in touch with hospices like Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice just outside Bedford or Keech in Luton, other services, or arranging referrals.
- Support for crisis or urgent palliative-care needs over night or out of hours
- Support if you or someone you care for is experiencing sudden deterioration to try to keep the person safe at home
When shouldn’t I call?
The Palliative Care Coordination phone line can support with non-emergency needs, advice, comfort, home support and planning.
Do not call NHS 111 Option 4 if:
- You have a life-threatening emergency including severe injury, chest pain or stroke. You should call 999 instead.
- If the person doesn’t have a life-limiting or progressive illness, or doesn’t need palliative-type support. You should call NHS 111 general advice line instead.
