01392 688000

8am - 8pm, seven days a week

COVID-19

COVID-19

Providing safe and effective care of vulnerable patients and keeping our staff well are our main concerns. We’re following official guidance and taking precautionary steps to minimise the risk of COVID-19 across our sites.

Please read this page for information on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Visiting our specialist ward at Searle House, Exeter

One precaution is to reduce footfall at Searle House, our main hospice site in Exeter. Therefore, following government guidance regarding social distancing, our specialist ward at Searle House is now closed to all visitors. Close family and friends of patients on the ward will be able to visit by calling the ward team on 01392 688000 to arrange visits in advance. We do not take this difficult decision lightly, but we need to prioritise the health of our patients and our staff.

If you are visiting patients or one of our sites, you can protect yourself and patients by:

  • Catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue
  • Binning used tissues straightaway
  • Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or hand sanitiser on entry and exit and before and after contact with patients.

If you are displaying any of the below symptoms, please do not call to arrange a visit to Searle House:

  • A new and continuous cough
  • A high temperature over 37.8oC

Please self-isolate if you have the above symptoms.

Our response also includes:

  • Temporarily suspending Day Hospice and support and social groups that meet face-to-face (telephone support and at home support continues to be available)
  • Regular briefings to staff
  • Increasing infection control notices and social distancing notices at all our buildings
  • Making hand sanitiser available at our clinical sites
  • Enabling non-clinical staff to work remotely where appropriate and possible to reduce footfall to our specialist ward
  • Regular updates to this page.

For more information please read our FAQs about Hospiscare’s approach to COVID-19.

Your Data and COVID-19

Your personal information may not be your first thought when it comes to coronavirus, but if you’re worried, here is some information to help. This information is applicable to Hospiscare, but also to your employer and other organisations you come into contact with.

  • Government, the NHS and other organisations will make sure you get vital public health messages via phone, email or text. You don’t need to give them your consent.
  • You might be asked to give details about sensitive health conditions and recent travel that you think are excessive. Employers and organisations do have an obligation to protect their staff, so in some cases it can be reasonable for them to ask you if you’ve visited a particular country or if you have experienced coronavirus symptoms. But they shouldn’t be asking for more information than is necessary, and if you are concerned speak to the organisation involved. Hospiscare will only ask for information that is necessary to protect our patients and staff members.
  • If you’ve made a Freedom of Information request or a subject access request from Hospiscare, you should expect delays in response as we may be diverting our resources to help with other challenges.

For more information about how Hospiscare may use your personal data, see our privacy policy.

Additional resources relating to COVID-19

For further information on the coronavirus pandemic, please see our specialist resources for healthcare professionals, view our free support services for care home professionals, visit these external websites or browse our related resources list below…

Practical support and admin in your local area

We have compiled a list of support and advice services for patients, families and vulnerable groups across Exeter, mid and east Devon.