Lymphoedema service

The lymphoedema service based at Meadow house is a nurse led service which provides advice and therapy for patients experiencing lymphoedema.

The treatment can include manual lymph drainage (focussed massage to try to shift and reduce the fluid which is trapped in the tissues) bandaging and hosiery (specialised garments which maintain pressure on the limbs to try to prevent re-accumulation of fluid in the tissues).

Patients can be referred to the service by their GP, district nurse, specialist palliative care clinical nurse specialist or by a hospital team.

Patients are booked into the lymphoedema clinic on a waiting list basis and then usually attend the hospice for an assessment and planning session. Sometimes an intensive course of therapy is advised during which the patient has multiple appointments in a short space of time. The patient can then be followed up at less frequent intervals or referred onto other services.