This information is for the family and close friends of someone who is nearing the end of their life in hospital. It includes information on services offered during this very difficult time.
Facilities for families
Relatives Room
Some wards have a relatives room, which includes toilet and showering facilities where the family can have privacy. This includes fold down beds for overnight stays.
Families can also access the sanctuary area and sanctuary garden.
Orchard Dining Room
Our Orchard Dining Room is open to the public from 8am until 7pm.
- Breakfast is served from 8 to 11am with a choice of hot items, cereals, fruit, etc.
- Lunch is from 11:30am to 2pm with both hot and cold food options.
- Dinner is from 4 to 7pm with a range of hot and cold dishes available.
Outside the specific times above, sandwiches, snacks and cold food such as pasta dishes are available.
Brambles Café is also situated beside the Orchard Dining Room offering a selection of teas, coffees and food items. Opening times are 9.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Additionally, our Hospital Volunteers Café and Shop is onsite to the left of reception, selling:
- teas
- coffees
- scones
- sandwiches
- salads
- pasta pots
The café is open from 9am to 5pm. The retail shop next to the café is open:
- Monday to Friday: 7am to 6pm
- Saturday/Sunday: 1pm to 4pm
Your loved one
It is often comforting for your loved one to have familiar items with them.
You can provide:
- Clothing: Specific clothing and/or nightwear your loved one prefers.
- Blankets: Any specific blankets they like to have around them.
- Music: Their favourite music can be played.
- Familiar smells: Such as perfume, aftershave or essential oils.
- Photographs: Family photos or pictures of special places.
Personal touches and keepsakes
Our team are happy to advise on various keepsake items we can make available, such as:
- Your family member’s handprint
- A lock of hair
- Children’s memory maker booklet
Self care
Having someone very ill in hospital is a difficult and upsetting time. It’s important to take care of yourself too.
This includes resting, eating, and drinking, even though it may feel hard to leave their side.
Things that may help:
- Ask for help from friends and family with tasks or just for company.
- Speak to the hospital chaplain, even if you don’t want religious support – they are there to listen.
- Contact someone from a religious community, such as an Imam or a Vicar – they may offer non-religious (pastoral) support too.
- Ask someone to update others via email or messaging so you can focus on being present.
- Talk to the nurses and doctors if you have questions.
If you are not in the room when your friend, family member or partner becomes very ill, and if you are the named person to call, the care team will try to call you to let you know.
The nurses will be with the person who is dying, and they will comfort them. Unfortunately, sometimes people do become very ill very quickly and die, and it may not be possible for you to be there in time, but they will be cared for, and they will not be left alone.
Support services
Palliative Care Team
When someone has a life threatening condition that cannot be cured, palliative care is centred around helping the person live well with their condition, through an active and holistic approach.
- Hospital Palliative Care Team (HPCT) – Crosshouse Office: 01563 827517
- Hospital Palliative Care Team (HPCT) – Ayr Office: 01292 610555 ext. 14826
If you have any questions, you can speak with a member of the Palliative Care Team.
Spiritual support
The chaplaincy service is a team of trained and accredited chaplains.
The service is committed to offering support and care to patients, relatives and carers. It is available to all people of all faiths and none.
The chaplaincy service is a confidential service and provides:
- Bereavement support
- A non-judgemental listening service
- Contact with all faith groups and cultures
- Religious and non-religious services
- Prayer mats and copies of sacred texts from all major world religions
- Access to chapels and a quiet room
Spiritual Care Team: 01563 826128
A child’s guide to end of life care
If someone close to you is very unwell, it can be hard to understand what’s happening or how to help.
We’ve included a section especially for children, that aims to explain end of life care in a simple and supportive way.