A Poole-based hospice has expanded its services and launched a new lymphoedema clinic at AECC University College in Boscombe.

The initiative follows the success of Lewis-Manning Hospice Care’s pilot mobile lymphoedema clinics at Chapel Gate and in Christchurch.

The new clinic is part of the hospice’s plans to bring its services closer to people’s homes and make the service as accessible and easy to attend as possible.

At the same time, it is providing the same high standards of care found at the hospice in Longfleet Road, Poole.

The lymphoedema team has also expanded with the addition of a clinical assistant to support the increasing number of patients being cared for by Lewis-Manning.

The clinics in Boscombe are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and run in conjunction with the existing onsite clinics at the hospice’s Poole site.

Linda Sjollema, Senior Lymphoedema Nurse Specialist, Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, said: “We are delighted to be able to partner with AECC University College to launch these clinics.

“It means that we can deliver our extraordinary hospice care closer to home and our patients will find it more accessible and convenient in this therapeutic environment.

“We are looking forward to a great working relationship with our colleagues there.”

Neil Langridge, pictured left, Director of Clinical Services, AECC University College, said: “This is very much part of the vision for widening our clinical services, supporting the community and expanding the clinical experiences for our students as a specialist health sciences university.”

Julie Currin, Chief Operating Officer, added: “Our partnership with Lewis-Manning is a great example of how we are striving to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Boscombe.

“We are committed in being an anchor institution for our local community and we look forward to developing future local partnerships to support our local residents to have better access to a range of health services locally.”

Anyone wishing to be referred from Bournemouth, Christchurch and the surrounding areas, simply needs to be registered with a GP surgery and have been diagnosed with lymphoedema which has been caused by cancer and/or its treatment.

You can be referred to the lymphoedema clinic by any healthcare professional directly linked to your care.

• lewis-manning.org.uk