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The Patient and Family Support Service offers emotional and psychological support to patients, family and friends.

Patient and Family Support

We offer a safe and confidential space to share fears, hopes and expectations.

We support patients to discuss and explore their future needs - this can be around writing cards, letters or planning funeral wishes.

We offer support to discuss illness with children and young people. We have books and ideas which can help families to talk about what can be difficult subjects.

Supporting patients, family and friends at different times throughout illness. This support continues into dealing with grief.

We can engage with outside organisations to support people in their care who are working with families who are impacted by life limiting illness.

Members of our Young Person Parental Loss Group

How our Patient and Family Support help you

Being able to offer a safe and confidential space is very important. We are able to support clients to share their emotions and often fears which they may hold back from their families and friends. The Patient and Family Support service help by allowing a space to share thoughts and feelings.

While this can be challenging it, it is well researched that allowing a client this space to acknowledge what is going on in their head and heart can support what is a very difficult situation. Supporting families to share with children and young people, again allows all voices to be heard. We can liaise with nurseries, schools which supports families and builds stronger networks of support.

Helping patients and families to acknowledge how life has changed helps to look at coping strategies that can support all those involved.

Grief does not understand time. Often the emotion of grief can feel more intense the further away you go from the point your special person died.

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Patient & Family Support Team

Mariusz Jargielo)

Mariusz Jargielo

Counsellor

Mariusz is a qualified Person Centred Counsellor. Prior to joining ACCORD he worked in various helping professions for 20 years which included social care and social work, and more recently general and children and young people counselling.
Ingrid Campbell)

Ingrid Campbell

Counsellor

Ingrid is a qualified counsellor with a Masters in Pluralistic Counselling working with adults and young people. . She attended art school in her 20's and then worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years before retraining as a counsellor in her late 40's.

She has worked as a counsellor supporting all age ranges, including young people in secondary schools for 3 years. Lived experience of supporting those with cancer has led to working in palliative care.

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Joy Elliott)

Joy Elliott

Patient & Family Support Team Lead/ Project Manager for the Renfrewshire Bereavement Network

A qualified counsellor with a post graduate qualification in Counselling and Supervision and holds additional qualifications in Facilitation, Supervision and supporting families. Having worked for the past 29 years in palliative care, Joy has a passion for the holistic support of the patients & families.
Mhairi Taylor)

Mhairi Taylor

Senior Counsellor

Mhairi has a master's in Person Centered Counselling from Strathclyde University. Mhairi has completed ongoing training to inform her practice and has 12 years experience in working in palliative care. Working creatively with clients is another aspect of the work Mhairi enjoys.
Eileen sitting at her desk)

Eileen Ritchie

Administration

Patient and Family Support and Renfrewshire Bereavement Network

Eileen Ritchie is the medical secretary for Patient & Family Support and The Renfrewshire Bereavement network. Eileen's people skills and admin support are vital to the smooth running of both services. Eileen is supported by a great team of volunteers.
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Grief is not something you get over - it is about learning to live with grief - living and grieving go side by side.

Patient and Family Support Groups

Bereavement Groups

Bereavement Groups

If you join one of our bereavement groups you will share a confidential space with others who are also dealing with grief. The groups are focused on specific losses, partner loss, parental loss, sibling loss. The groups are never more than 8 people and will be facilitated by one of our counsellors. The groups run for 8 sessions and meet every two weeks. Each person’s grief is unique to their own individual experience, however there are many commonalties that can be shared in the group, which helps to take away the isolation that grief can bring. We encourage that you try and attend all sessions.

Walking with Grief Group

Walking with Grief Group

Our walking with grief group has been running for a number of years. The group meets every Friday at our Community Hub resource centre within ACCORD Hospice. Those attending the group have all been bereaved, some are walking more recently with their grief while others are further on in how they are living with grief. The walks are all around 1 hour long and are low level walking. The group have an annual day away where the group choose where they would like to go.

You Are Not Alone

If at any time you find yourself in crisis, please contact the Samaritans or Breathing Space

Samaritans

Samaritans

We're waiting for your call. Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. We're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call free 116 123

Visit Samaritans

Breathing Space

Breathing Space

Sometimes our thoughts and feelings can overwhelm us. It helps to get some Breathing Space. Need help now? Call free on 0800 83 85 87

Visit Breathing Space

Renfrewshire Bereavement

Renfrewshire Bereavement

Renfrewshire Bereavement Network aims to provide support to people in the Renfrewshire area who are experiencing loss or dealing with grief.

Visit Bereavement Network

RAMH

RAMH

RAMH First Crisis can support you if you're experiencing a crisis in your mental health. Contact FIRST Crisis on freephone 0800 221 8929

Visit RAMH

Advice Work Renfrewshire

Advice Works is a free, confidential and independent service and will give you advice in a straightforward manner.

Renfrewshire Advice Works

How to Access Patient and Family Support Services

How to Access Patient and Family Support Services

To access the patient and family support service, you can be referred through your GP, Hospital consultant or specialist nurse. You may be connected to another of ACCORD’s services, which can also make a referral.

If you wish to explore if we can support you in any way, you can call and speak with us directly.

Every year we hold an Annual Service of Remembering. This is a very important time in the life of ACCORD. The service is a mixture of poetry, music, readings, and prayer. This special time we endeavour to meet the needs of all those attending.

If you would like more information about our Annual Service of Remembering please email SOR@accord.org.uk.

If you would like to enquire about one of our Support Groups, please get in touch via the form provided

enquire about one of our Support Groups

Patient and Family Support FAQ's

Below you will find are some frequently asked questions

What can I expect?

How many sessions of support will I get?

How/Where will I be seen?

Can I contact you again?

 Donations change lives

Donations change lives

Amazing people like you help us support those who need it most. “Everyone has been so generous, and the final total raised is testament to how adored my mum was at ACCORD hospice”

Make a donation