Tag Archive for: hospices

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BLOG: How Selina took St Luke’s to the heart of Parliament

Selina’s account of St Luke’s in the pandemic influenced MPs’ key end of life report

Proud St Luke’s ambassador Selina Rogers has spoken out at a pivotal meeting at the House of Commons in London to share her experience of frontline hospice care with influential policy makers.

Selina, a Senior Health Care Assistant with our Urgent Care Service (EoLUCS) team, was thrilled to be invited to a special reception last week launching a hard-hitting new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the lasting impact of the Covid pandemic on death, dying, bereavement and end of life care.

“I felt very proud of myself and of St Luke’s – we have had a major part in this important study. It’s a huge moment in hospice care, and I’m honoured to be involved,” she says.

Selina was asked to meet the group’s MPs in person, alongside representatives from other health and care organisations across the UK, after contributing evidence last year – quoted in the report – on the overwhelming impact of the pandemic on patients and their families, as well as St Luke’s frontline care.

The report highlights how the significant rise in deaths during the pandemic, especially in people’s own homes, placed huge pressure on the health and care system and led to incidences of poor care nationwide. The sheer volume of death, alongside measures to reduce the spread of infection, resulted in extreme pressure on exhausted health and care workers and unpaid carers.

Selina spoke confidently at Westminster to give a voice, not only to St Luke’s, but to health care professionals across the UK delivering end of life care.

“The pandemic highlighted the work that hospices do in our communities. I am very passionate about what we do at St Luke’s and the impact we have on our community. I will talk to anyone about it. I was able to explain how we work and how we make it possible for people to die at home,” she says.

“I also talked about the increase in the numbers of people wanting to die at home during the pandemic, mainly because of restrictions on people coming into nursing homes and wards.

“People were very interested in what I had to say. They listened and were really engaged, which was great. They asked a lot of questions about what I’d experienced and what we are seeing now, post Covid. I explained that we are probably the busiest we have ever been at the moment, and that’s a knock-on effect of the pandemic.”

The report underlines that with more people expected to die in 2031 than in 2020, significantly more end of life support will be needed in future, particularly for people who choose to die in their own homes.

The need for more government funding for hospices and more education across the board for health care professionals who have no experience of death and dying, as well as better mental health support for staff are also highlighted.

Selina, who is currently studying to become a Nursing Associate with a St Luke’s apprenticeship, has been hugely encouraged and moved by the event, especially a speech by the group’s co-chair Baroness Finlay supporting lobbying of the government for more funds for hospice care, affirming that everyone should be entitled to free specialist end of life care.

“It is all so positive and, reading the report, it’s exciting that finally things are hopefully going to improve for the future and hospice care will get the recognition and support that it deserves,” she says.

Selina’s skills for describing the stark realities and enormous challenges of the pandemic on hospice care professionals came to the attention of the All-Party Parliamentary Group after she wrote a blog for St Luke’s own website in 2020 just as the country went into its second lockdown.

She was later interviewed for Hospice UK on Sky TV and that led to her contribution to the report and her invitation to Parliament. Selina will now be sharing what she has learned from the experience with St Luke’s CEO Steve Statham and Director of Clinical Services George Lillie.

There’s no doubt that Selina’s day at Parliament was an unforgettable one, not least because it also happened to be her 38th birthday.

“It was very surreal going to the House of Commons, and I was quite nervous going in on my own, but I surprised myself. There were a lot of people who were higher up in their organisations, but I don’t think there was anyone else there in my area of work. It’s certainly a birthday I’ll always remember,” she says.

Read the full APPG report here. 

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Hospice Las Vegas
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BLOG: Hospices across borders

St Luke’s Digital Communications Officer Gabby Nott currently works for us remotely from Las Vegas, USA. She has been exploring what hospice care looks like on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Sin city, the place of roulette wheels, palm trees and endless sunshine.

Venture away from the bright lights of the strip and just like any other big city, hundreds of people are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Death does not limit itself and wherever you find yourself in the world, sadly you will also find death.

As Dame Cicely Saunders championed the modern hospice movement in London back in the 1960s, before taking it overseas to America with the first hospice in the USA established in 1974 in collaboration with Florence Wald, it seems fitting to be following the trail of hospice care from Plymouth to Las Vegas.

This comes as this last week it hit the headlines that former American President Jimmy Carter, who at 98 is the longest living president in American history, is receiving hospice care at his home in Georgia.

Almost half a century may have passed since the pioneering movement settled in the States, but today the strength of hospice care is scattered across Las Vegas, with around 79 hospices providing end of life care on a daily basis.

I was surprised to hear how many hospices there are within the city. It hit home how privileged St Luke’s is within its community of Plymouth, the South Hams and South East Cornwall, being a focal point for so many.

Hospice Las Vegas

I paid a visit to two of the leading hospices in the Las Vegas area to discover more about their work and palliative care this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Having lived in Vegas for the last couple of years I have witnessed the private healthcare system in full force, where each individual is responsible for having their own health insurance, which can be hugely dependent on income. This means that the hospices here rely on the insurance pay-outs to pay for the care, with many working for profit and having to pay tax on these funds and provide a financial return to shareholders. This is in contrast to St Luke’s, which is only partially funded by the NHS and therefore relies on the generosity of our supporters. I was intrigued to see how this model of hospice care differs from our own.

Hospice Las Vegas

Nathan Adelson Hospice is the only non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada and is the longest established, starting their home care back in 1978 before opening the area’s first inpatient hospice in 1983. I met with Director of Admissions and Transportation, Ashley Earle, who gave me a tour of their main hospice building, located just a few streets away from the world-famous Las Vegas boulevard.

Tucked away in a rare pocket of greenery, the hospice felt like an oasis of calm on first appearance, a stark contrast to the intensity of the nearby casinos. I was instantly transported back to our specialist unit at Turnchapel as I walked through the doors, with an in-memory display adorning the walls, similar to our beloved memory tree, with each leaf representing someone special we have cared for.

The building itself is laid out in different quads, each with private rooms leading out onto a patio, providing patients with easy access to fresh air and the famous blue skies of Vegas. In the middle sits a serene garden, with running water providing a peaceful backdrop for patients and families to sit and reflect in.

Ashley tells me that they’re currently providing care for 338 patients, across the two inpatient units and in the local hospitals, but with the majority seen in the comfort of their own homes. Like St Luke’s she describes their various nursing teams, including their inpatient and homecare nurses as well as their admissions team, who work in the hospital responding to referrals and doing evaluations before passing on the care to the homecare team once a patient is transferred home.

Hospice Las Vegas

Ashley is not a Vegas native, having moved to the area from Plymouth, Massachusetts (a fitting coincidence) but like many of the patients they see, it was the bright sunshine that drew her west.

“I moved to Vegas three years ago to come and get some sunshine,” she explains. “I started working for a hospice back in Massachusetts when my mother was receiving hospice care and saw the amazing work that was being done and thought I want to be part of that. I worked for an inpatient unit and thought this is it, this is my calling. I wanted to move here, get some sunshine and work for Nathan Adelson. There were no ifs or buts about it. We’re the only non-profit hospice and that makes a huge difference. The hospice is so established in the community. Vegas is a really interesting market for hospice care, there’s a lot of competition, it’s very transient, so we have a special place here.”

It is not just Ashley that was drawn to the bright lights of Vegas, many of their patients specifically travel to the city to live out their last days in a place that is special to them.

“It’s really unique here in Las Vegas, it’s a very important place for a lot of people. We have patients coming over from Hawaii. We had a patient here who was a very big poker player and he wanted to come to Vegas one more time and win a lot of money so that his family were taken care of and that was something the hospice was able to help with. We’re in a fortunate position that we can provide hospice care for a lot of people who are travelling here. It makes a huge difference for people who want to make that one last trip. It’s a special place for so many. We prioritise our community but we won’t turn anybody away. If they need us, we’re there.”

As a non-profit, the insurance only covers the cost of the care, so they rely on the generosity of their local community to help provide their patients with a full range of support services as well as covering the cost of about 20% of the patients, who they see that have no insurance.

Like St Luke’s flagship events, Men’s Day Out, Midnight Walk and Tour de Moor, Ashley describes how they also work with the community to host different events to raise funds for the hospice. “We have a fashion show every year which is our biggest fundraiser and we also have a Doctors in Concert that’s another big fundraiser, along with a regular wine tasting event. Just things that the community looks forward to year after year. We also do a butterfly release in early spring where you can donate and purchase a butterfly in memory of a loved one. It’s really beautiful.”

Ashley tells me about one programme that was introduced using the money raised by donations that involves robotic pets – ‘Paws at home’ – I was intrigued to hear more. “We have a ‘Paws for Paul’ pet therapy service set up by the foundation through donations,” she says. “As well as therapy for patients, it helps us support pets while our patients are on service and helps with rehoming if needed when a patient passes away. Paws at Home is an extension to this programme, with robotic cats and dogs which are normal size and can breath, purr or bark and their heads can move. It’s so comforting for those patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia who just need a little bit of companionship.”

As many are aware, death and grief come hand in hand and wherever a hospice is, bereavement soon follows. At St Luke’s our social care and support team provide bereavement support to both adults and children who are experiencing a loss. Ashley describes how they also commit their time to supporting children who are coming to terms with losing a loved one.

“We do a lot of work for bereavement. We have a camp that is one of my favourite things that I was able to participate in last summer. We go up to the mountains for the weekend with 30 kids, their loved one might not have necessarily passed away in our service, it is open to the community. They have a weekend in the mountains where they have a lot of fun, but also do grief work. It was one of the most powerful things I have been involved in and was something I felt really proud of. It was really special and put things into perspective for me.”

During my visit, I was able to steal a minute with one of the staff nurses on duty that morning, Annabelle Buynay and find out what drew her to working in hospice care.

“I find working in hospice care really rewarding,” she explains. “I’ve been in different care settings, but have found I prefer to work in a hospice as I feel like you do more patient care and working with families a lot more. You have more time to spend with patients.

“When I was in nursing school, I didn’t want to do hospice care as I thought it would be too depressing so I steered away from it. Then I got introduced to it when I was working in skilled nursing, working in long term care and I got to work with hospices and I thought this is what I want to be doing, rather than just passing meds. I feel like you’re paying more attention to their needs, treating their symptoms and providing education to the patients and their families. I thought this is what nursing should be.”

I left Ashley and Annabelle feeling a spread of warmth that is relatable to anyone who has been in the company of any of our St Luke’s care teams, witnessing a passion for providing patients with the highest quality of care and dignity when they need it most.

Having met the non-profit hospice, I wanted to pay a visit to a for-profit hospice, to witness the difference between the two.

CompassionCare Hospice is one such Vegas hospice. Lying in the quiet suburb of Summerlin – popular with families and sprinkled with restaurants and shopping areas – it is a far cry from the reputation that has come to be associated with Vegas. Ranked in the top three of hospices in the city, they pride themselves on being there for the patient, providing them with a peaceful end of life experience in a familiar and secure environment.

I met with Director of Education and Community Relations, Julie McIntosh and Executive Director Jennifer Wantoch. CompassionCare’s main services are provided by clinical teams in patients homes or assisted living facilities, with links to several of the main hospitals in the city as well, to be on hand when a patient reaches end of life. While they don’t have an actual hospice in-patient unit, they instead are contracted with about 30 different facilities across the city.

Julie explains that 90% of all their patients are funded by Medicare, the federal health insurance program specifically for people 65 and older. But they won’t turn away someone who can’t afford to pay the insurance. “We’ve been here 18 years and we take more gratuitous patients on average than the other hospices,” she says.

Jennifer describes the care they deliver: “A Medicare condition of participation is that every hospice has to offer four levels of care – routine home care, continuous care where we will put a nurse at a patient’s bedside if the systems can’t be managed, general inpatient care and respite care. We look after about 200-250 patients at any one time and usually patients are seen one to two times a week.”

It highlighted to me how lucky we are to be able to provide care free to our patients, but that is down to the incredible supporters we have, who go above and beyond raising more than £7.8 million a year to keep our services running.

Beyond the initial care, a key part of their work, like our own is breaking down the taboo around death and educating patients, communities, loved ones and carers. Julie explains: “Every time you have that opportunity to go into that patient or care giver’s home, you can help provide guidance and technical help to make their lives easier and answer any questions they have.” They also work closely with other local organisations to help spread awareness and understanding of what hospice care is.

Like Devon, Vegas is often regarded as a retirement oasis which means the need for hospice care is steadily increasing, and we know first-hand it can be a challenge to keep up that demand.

“We have a huge senior population here in Las Vegas,” Julie explains. “People come out here to retire and we have several military bases, so we have a large veteran population. Therefore we have a higher than average senior population, with Alzheimer’s and dementia being in the number two spot for terminal illnesses below cancer.”

However, because of the high number of hospices in the city, it becomes a challenge to find their footing within the community.

“There are 79 active hospice licenses in Las Vegas alone. New hospices open every day and hospices close very frequently too,” Julie says. “The challenge is providing that level of high patient care but also differentiating yourself and being able to be competitive. We’ve worked super hard on our reputation, but not everyone always follows the rules. Medicare has rules that everyone must abide with and there are definitely people who go above and beyond what is ethical and that’s hard to battle against. I think something has to be done. It’s like the wild west here in Las Vegas.”

In order to stay ahead of their competition, the hospice has had to make sure they are providing services that others are not. While in the UK we are used to the reassurance that an ambulance will deliver us to hospital for free, here in the US, it again will cost the patient. CompassionCare Hospice decided to provide free transportation from hospital to a patient’s home, something that to many will ease the burden at a time when they have enough to worry about.

Listening to Julie and Jennifer describe the hospice and its workings made me realise that no matter where in the world you are, there will always be challenges you are faced with. While our circumstances may be different, St Luke’s, Nathan Adelson and CompassionCare all have one key thing in common, that our patients receive the care and dignity they deserve at the end of their lives. St Luke’s is incredibly fortunate to have the unyielding support of the local community, without which we would not still be here today and as Ashley put it quite simply, wherever in the world you are, thanks to the evolving world of hospice care, “If they need us, we’re there.”

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BLOG: St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth appoints new CEO

St Luke's Hospice Plymouth CEOSt Luke’s Hospice Plymouth appoints new CEO

St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is delighted to announce the appointment of new CEO Christina Quinn. She will take up her post this spring following the retirement of highly respected chief executive Steve Statham.

Currently Director of NHS South West Leadership Academy, Christina emerged as the standout choice in the charity’s quest to find the very best candidate to step into this incredibly important role.

Her diverse career portfolio, clinical background and leadership expertise mean she brings a unique set of health care and NHS knowledge and experience to St Luke’s, where she has previously served in a voluntary capacity as a trustee and chair of the board.

“Unsurprisingly, we had a very strong pool of 26 applicants for this prestigious and appealing job, including several CEOs with experience of running hospitals, NHS organisations and medical charities, as well as people from the business and management sectors,” said Charles Hackett, chair of St Luke’s Board of Trustees.

“Ultimately, Christina’s selection was all about her personality, attitude, capabilities, motivation and the extensive experience that gives her the capacity to lead. In her present job she is responsible for shaping leadership development interventions at a national and regional level, and she certainly delivered on many levels recently during the Covid pandemic. She has a high level of empathy and a curiosity to learn and discover and has given a huge amount of energy and passion to the organisations she has previously worked for.”

Originally from London, Christina trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, before moving to the South West where she has pursued her keen interest in the impact of leadership in terms of patient care outcomes.

“I am certain that Christina’s experience in leading and developing change will give us all an opportunity to refresh our future vision as we continue to deliver the excellent end of life care St Luke’s is renowned for, while always keeping clear sight of our mission to make sure no one dies alone, in pain or distress,” said Charles.

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BLOG: National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Meet Selina

 

This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.

We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.

Selina Rogers is one of our Trainee Nursing Associates, working with our St Luke’s Urgent Care team, delivering end of life care in the community, supporting our patients to die within their own homes.

Having worked her way up through different health care settings to become a Senior Health Care Assistant, she decided to develop her career further and when the position within our urgent care service came along, she jumped at the opportunity to do the apprenticeship with St Luke’s and progress within a team she feels passionate about.

“My background since leaving school many years ago has always been within health care,” she says. “I have always wanted to be a registered nurse but had my son at a young age, so I put my effort into raising my son and put my career on hold.

“The apprenticeship has given me the chance to progress without becoming in debt. In gaining a Foundation Degree at Plymouth University, I have had the chance to experience lots of different working environments within the health care service I would not get the chance to do otherwise, such as a GP practice, a private hospital and community nursing to name a few, so they helped hugely in gaining knowledge in my progression to become a Registered Nursing Associate.

“I take great pride in working for St Luke’s and the amazing work the hospice does as a whole for our local community, giving our patients the best possible care and end of life experience for the patient and their family is so important and so special.

“It’s an absolute privilege to be able to do that for a person.”

As part of our Urgent Care team, Selina and her colleagues work alongside our teams in the community, at Derriford hospital and our specialist unit at Turnchapel to ensure a seamless provision of specialist care to people when they have days or weeks left to live.

“The end of life team is extremely special, so many people want to die in their own home, surrounded by their loved ones in their own environment. It is such an amazing thing to be able to do, the team of HCAs and RNs along with the community nurse specialists all work together in ensuring our patients have the best possible experience, bringing some love and laughter along with compassion and empathy. It’s just the best job. I have such great job satisfaction and never wake up not wanting to attend work, who gets to say that, not many! I feel very lucky to have found this opportunity within St Luke’s.”

Selina credits the apprenticeship with giving her a career stepping-stone and helping her to achieve her dream of becoming a registered nurse.

“For people thinking about doing the apprenticeship, do it. It is not easy, it is hard work and I have had times where I thought I cannot do this but your university cohort, employer and colleagues, along with family and friends give you that support.

“It gives such fantastic opportunities and a stepping-stone to becoming a registered nurse which I myself hope to do in the near future and hope to remain with the amazing St Luke’s team when I do so.”

To find out more about our apprenticeships click here or contact our People Services team.

Read Rachel’s and Lewis’ stories.

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BLOG: National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Meet Lewis

This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.

We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.

Lewis Kendall, 26, is our Accounts apprentice and joined the organisation in May 2019. An avid golfer for Thurlestone Golf Club, Lewis originally studied Accounting and Finance at University in Swansea, leaving for personal reasons in his second year. However, he soon came across the opportunity to study Accountancy through an Exeter College Apprenticeship with St Luke’s and applied straight away. At the end of last year, he successfully passed his apprenticeship course and last month he also passed the final exam of his Association of Accounting Technicians Diploma.

Lewis reflects back on his first interview with St Luke’s, “I jumped at the opportunity when I saw the apprenticeship as I really enjoyed my time and course at University. My interview with St Luke’s went really well, they gave me a great overall picture of the charity as well as a brief tour of the departments and a chance to meet the team I’d be working with. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be a part of this great charity and the wonderful service it provides.”

Lewis works within our finance department, the team that are vital when it comes to processing the generous donations we receive.

“When I started I was doing more financial admin tasks, like processing online donations on the fundraising database,” he explains. “As my apprenticeship has gone on my role in the team has evolved to better suit this development. An example of this would be one of my roles now is consolidating data and producing performance reports that are used in the monthly management accounts that are sent to department heads.

“Working for St Luke’s definitely gives me a sense of satisfaction that I don’t think you get if you don’t work for a charity. I feel like the work I do helps to monitor, evaluate and improve the financial position of St Luke’s, therefore contributing to the continuation of the Charity. In terms of the bigger picture I guess the work the Finance Team and I do helps maximise the care we can afford to give to our patients and the support to their families.”

Lewis describes how the apprenticeship has given him the opportunity to learn ‘on the job’, embedding what he learns during his course into his daily practice.

“It’s given me the opportunity to ask questions and apply knowledge learnt from my study leave in the workplace. It’s also been helpful that in asking these questions, my manager and head of department have been able to see how my progression has been going and present me with new responsibilities that coincide with what I’ve been learning. It’s a relationship that’s worked very well and kept my role in the Accounts team really interesting.”

For many school leavers and graduates, the idea of working for a hospice can sound fairly depressing, but working for St Luke’s has given Lewis an insight into the care and services we provide for so many local families.

“I know St Luke’s is extremely admired and respected in the service it provides, but before I started working here I (honestly) will admit I hadn’t had been aware of St Luke’s and the incredible work it does to support end of life patients. In the time I’ve been here I couldn’t commend St Luke’s more in the way it helps its patients and helps support their families and I feel proud that I’ve played a (small) part in it.

“Working at St Luke’s has provided an interesting perspective on my profession. I was the only student in my class that worked outside of a practice so applying the knowledge was sometimes harder than it might have been for others working in another industry or an accountancy firm.

“Since starting, I’ve helped volunteer at our Men’s Day Out and Midnight Walk events. It’s also made me aware of all the ways people raise donations, their enthusiasm in fundraising for us and the stories behind it.

“You feel incredibly proud working for a charity so fondly thought of by so many people.”

If you’re considering a career change or looking to take the next step in developing your role, get in touch with our People Services team to learn more about our apprenticeships and placements. We are currently looking for an IT Apprentice to work alongside our IT team, click here to find out more and apply.

“With the experience I’ve had with St Luke’s I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship to others, especially if you’re uncertain about going into further education or pursuing a career after GCSE’s and A Levels,” Lewis adds. “It’s the best mix of practical workplace experience and learning I could have hoped for.

“I’ve always felt supported by both my employer and training provider and encouraged to achieve the best results I can in any exams while my knowledge and opinion have been tested in the work place, preparing me for extra responsibilities or the next stage of my career.”

Look out for more of our apprentice’s stories this week…

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BLOG: National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Meet Rachel

National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Meet Rachel

This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.

As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.

We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.

Rachel Marriott, 43, has been one of our Health Care Assistants (HCA) working at our specialist unit at Turnchapel for the last few years. A mother of three, she has always had a passion for helping people at the end of their lives. She first became a HCA 17 years ago, before joining St Luke’s in 2019. She is currently finishing her two-year apprenticeship as a Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) through Plymouth University.

In amongst her daily family life, Rachel spends one day a week at university for lectures and clinical skills, 12 hours a week at our specialist unit as a HCA and then 18 hours working in her trainee nursing role at both Turnchapel and on placements.

“I am supernumerary when working as a Trainee Nursing Associate,” she explains. “I have shadowed the nursing team to learn the roles of the nurses which consists of patient care, admissions and discharges, medications, continuing care, future care planning, working in teams, wound care and learning how to liaise with the multi-disciplinary team within St Luke’s. There are no two days the same, so every shift I work is a learning experience.”

 

With a background working in care homes, Rachel is no stranger to working in palliative care, even completing our Six Steps+ programme in end of life care in 2008, which she describes as igniting her passion for helping those living with a terminal illness. Working alongside our nurses on a daily basis gave Rachel a glimpse of what their roles are like and she knew it was something she wanted to be involved in.

“I have always enjoyed learning and used to watch the nurses eagerly when working alongside them as a HCA and felt that I wanted to further my knowledge and this apprenticeship seemed to fit perfectly for this. It would give me greater responsibility and keep my mind busy. My children are all grown up and it seemed the perfect time for me to better myself.”

Like with any further education course, Rachel has had to put in a great number of hours and hard work and has been truly dedicated to her learning, alongside her family life and role as HCA and at times has felt the pressure and encountered challenges, especially when moving between roles.

“I did not anticipate how hard the course was going to be,” she says. “12 modules divided between two years was a lot to do as well as working full time. It was hard to find the right balance. It has been a challenge changing my role when working as a TNA then working as a HCA. I want to constantly learn and work alongside the nurses, when working as a HCA you have to step back and not be as involved which I have found frustrating at times. I am very grateful to be at the end of this course and looking forward to starting my new role as a registered professional. I am lucky that within St Luke’s the TNA role is recognised and understood whereas some of my fellow cohort colleagues have struggled to help others understand their role.”

 

While challenging at times, Rachel’s passion for learning and being able to make a difference to patients when they really need it, has given her an incredible amount of satisfaction, both in a professional and personal capacity.

“I love working in a hospice. Being able to make a patient feel good about themselves, make them smile or give them the extra time and care they need. A good day for me is being able to understand the needs of the patients and working out what can be done to make that patient person centred and individual to their needs. This could be from helping them dress, assisting them to have a soak in the bath, washing their hair or just sitting and chatting to them.

“I want patients to feel comfortable and happy when in my care. I never underestimate how a patient feels, I just try to make them feel that bit more special and contented in any way that I can.

“I do get a lot of job satisfaction in my role. Friends and family ask how I do my job but I always turn around and say that I love my job. The hospice is not a depressing or morbid place to work, there is generally laughter heard and the nursing and HCA team all go above and beyond to leave any problems at the door and give their very best to the patients.

“The team is like a family, I have never seen such a closeness in any of my previous jobs. If you need help you ask and someone will always go the extra mile to help each other out.”

To find out more about our apprenticeships click here or contact our People Services department.

Look out for Lewis’ and Selina’s stories coming soon…

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SIX STEPS CARE HOME
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BLOG: Agency’s six steps to end of life care excellence

SIX STEPS CARE HOMEAgency’s six steps to end of life care excellence

The very first nursing and care agency in Plymouth to boast St Luke’s end of life training verification is delighted that its high standards and good practice have been recognised and verified for the 12th year running.

St Luke’s has long been committed to helping the wider caring community to deliver the very best care for people who are approaching death, through its dedicated Six Steps+ education programme.

There’s a growing band of great nursing and care homes in and around Plymouth that have invested in the specialist training initiative. However, the highly respected Prestige Nursing & Care – a Domiciliary Care and temporary staffing provider – with clients across Devon and Cornwall is the only agency that has proudly renewed its Six Steps+ accreditation, year after year.

With three in-house certificated St Luke’s End of Life Champions to spread their specialist knowledge and skills to all their staff, Prestige has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to make a real difference to clients at such an important time in their lives.

Their care teams are experienced at looking after the dying in their own homes, during the day and overnight, working alongside St Luke’s specialist teams when expert input is needed. The agency, rated “Outstanding” by the CQC, also supplies staff for nursing and care homes, and occasionally provides temporary cover for St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel.

Manager Emma Bonney, who spearheaded the agency’s ongoing connection with St Luke’s, says their Six Steps+ training by St Luke’s End of Life Educators, has been a game changer, giving her staff the confidence, not only to give a better standard care, but to champion their clients.

“We were having more and more clients at the end of life in the community and my main motivation was to improve our services and support those people more effectively,” she said. “Liz Lawley and the St Luke’s education team have empowered us to challenge things when it’s in the best interest of the patient – we have the knowledge to do that now.

“It’s great that we know what to do to look after people at the end of life appropriately. Families don’t know what to expect because they can’t tell what is normal, but our health care assistants can calmly explain things and take away some of their worry.”

A recent example was a woman who was trying to look after her elderly, terminally ill mother at home but found it overwhelming when she deteriorated steeply and was in a lot of pain and distress.

“The daughter just couldn’t cope and thought she would have to put her mother in residential care. Because of our specialist knowledge, we were able to go in and help to keep the lady calm and comfortable so that she could stay at home.

“Stories like that are why we do the Six Steps+ training, to provide really high quality care that allows people to stay at home at the end of their lives,” said Emma.

The programme’s standards also emphasise the importance of Advance Care Plans and documenting people’s wishes in terms of their future care.

“Advance care planning is a big benefit. We looked after a lady who had early onset Alzheimer’s and she could see where the disease was going to take her. We helped her to make a plan while she still had capacity. She wanted to be care for in her own home and was very concerned about being patronised. This was documented as part of her Advanced Care Plan and she remained at home until she died, in her preferred place of care”.

Another of Prestige’s top priorities is providing continuity of care for people in their own homes.

“When we consider a package of care, we always look to assign a set team to ensure we can cover it fully and safely. We try to minimise the number of people as much as we can so that the client has a consistent team who know them well. This in turn gives the client a more effective service as the staff are able to respond promptly to any changes in their condition and wellbeing.”

Emma and her fellow Prestige End of Life Champions, Jane Lys and Clare Waterfield, are all involved in training the Prestige staff. As part of the Six Steps+ programme, they undertake refresher courses with the St Luke’s Education Team and attend the regular End of Life forums that bring together other local champions to discuss common issues and expand knowledge with guest speakers.

“The programme is ongoing. Every year we re-verify. At that point we have to provide evidence that we are still providing high quality end of life care, showing examples of how we put the Six Steps+ into practice.”

What is the Six Steps+ programme?

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BLOG: Pocket hugs are a labour of love for Lyn

Sometimes all you need is a hug and a whole box full of pocket cuddles has arrived on St Luke’s doorstep recently, courtesy of a kind-hearted and talented Plymouth woman who wants to bring a little bit of comfort to people when they need it most.

Small, round and woolly little faces, with googly eyes, tiny arms clutching a heart and a loop to hang them up with, Lyn Frost has crocheted them with love in a variety of colours and wrapped them in organza bags to keep them safe until they find the right homes amongst St Luke’s patients and their families.

“When you are having a tough time, a hug is just what you need.,” said Lyn from Plymouth, who also wanted to say thank you to St Luke’s for the care her father received a few years ago. “I thought they would cheer people up and maybe they could also raise a little bit of money for St Luke’s if anyone wants to make a donation.”

Lyn has ME which limits her mobility, so crafting gives her something interesting and useful to do at home. “I can move around inside the house but when I go out and about I’m in a wheelchair,” she said. “My husband has turned the spare bedroom into craft room for me and it’s my little haven.”

She taught herself to crochet using YouTube videos during the Covid lockdown and joined an online group called Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, which gave her the idea, and the pattern, to knit the pocket hugs for the first time.

“I made a slightly bigger version for a friend who had lost her mum and she had it hanging on her memorial, so I decided to make these ones for St Luke’s,” said Lyn, who also make things for the special care baby unit at Derriford, the homeless, and fidget balls to help people with dementia or autism.

The colourful pocket hugs are available at our specialist unit at Turnchapel for patients and their families and as it says on the handwritten tag, are ‘for those times you need a little hug’.

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Men's Day Out
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BLOG: Men’s Day Out: It’s good to talk

Men’s Day Out: It’s good to talk

Chat, chew the fat, put the world to rights, whatever you do, it’s good to talk.

Men, it’s good to talk. We’re masters at masking how we really feel, even when we’ve lost someone we care deeply about.

Sharing our feelings can make a big difference, and Men’s Day Out offers a great opportunity to drop the brave face and open up to others in the same boat.

Dave Gundry, 54, from Liskeard, will be striding the streets of Plymouth on Saturday 11 March along with hundreds of other like-minded men.

With two decades of work in men’s mental health, Dave has witnessed the changing face and increasing recognition of mental health in men, fully embracing the ‘it’s good to talk’ nature. He looks upon the event as the opportunity to put his skillset and background to good use, in order to help any men who might be suffering in silence.

“During my time on the walk, if someone speaks to me I may be able to help them understand more about some mental health issues that maybe they don’t understand or if they don’t know where to turn to for advice, while also sharing my experience of grief and St Luke’s.”

Like many of the men who will be making big strides for St Luke’s, Dave will be walking in memory of two special loved ones. His father and close family friend and best friend of his wife, Lianne, who was looked after by St Luke’s at our specialist unit at Turnchapel and at home, after a terminal cancer diagnosis.

“During the time we visited her and when she came home briefly in between stays, she was full of praise for all the staff and was telling us how some staff would call in to see how she was doing. Despite not being her carer for the day they would just pop in to cheer her up and make her laugh, always going the extra mile.”

Men's Day out

Dave was the first of our Men’s Day Out participants to get his JustGiving page up and running. The money he and all our walkers raise through sponsorship means we can keep our teams out in the community, providing the highest calibre of care for our patients and their families, ensuring no one has to die alone and that they can have comfort and dignity until the end.

It was Dave’s group of friends, known as the ‘Friday Team’ that first suggested Men’s Day Out to him, having completed it multiple times themselves. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t to be, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Dave’s father growing ill and passing. So it wasn’t until last year that he was finally able to take part.

Along with Dave, many of his teammates – who vary in ages from their 20s to 70s – have experienced the care and support St Luke’s provides first-hand, through family members or friends, making Men’s Day Out the opportune time to walk, talk and share.

“I wanted to do it again this year, to try to raise some more money and awareness and also in the hope that some of the people I met and talked with last year I may bump into again and get an update on how they are doing. I think it’s a wonderful event and to mix raising funds for St Luke’s with raising awareness for men’s mental health works really well.

“Oh and it would be a bit unjust if I didn’t say that of course some good laughs and great company of like-minded people and rugby all thrown in were a bit persuasive too…”

Visit Dave’s fundraising page to find out more about his fundraising journey https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-gundry1

Like Dave, you have the opportunity to discover a special bond with friends old and new as you stride a scenic 12km (7.5 mile) route through the city and waterfront. Winding up at Plymouth Albion, you’ll be ready to tuck into a well-earned pasty, enjoy a welcome beverage and cheer the local boys as they clash with the Rams from Reading.

If you’ve already got your place for Men’s Day Out, sponsored by Jem Scaffolding Ltd, now is the time to set up your JustGiving page just like Dave. Not only do the funds you raise make a massive difference to our end-of-life care, but the camaraderie you’ll find on the road can also work wonders if you’re struggling with loss. Click here to get your page up and running.

Sign up for Men’s Day Out now and make mindful miles matter for St Luke’s.

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BLOG: The journey of a donated sofa

How Stuart’s bargain sofa made Sandie smile and boosted our funds for patient care

Around this festive time of year we’re bombarded with TV ads for big name furniture brands, urging us to buy a new sofa or suite in the sales.

In these challenging financial times, choosing a pre-loved option from one of our charity shops not only makes great economic sense, it’s also better for the environment and supports our care for patients and their loved ones.

We followed a three-piece suite, kindly donated to St Luke’s, on its journey to a grateful new home and measured its impact on the charity.

 When Stuart Cann and his wife, Leanne, ordered a brand new sofa suite there was never any doubt about the destination of their old one. They were going to donate it to St Luke’s Plymouth.

Old is actually the wrong word for the elegant, grey four-seater sofa with matching chair and big, circular footstool that used to grace the football-mad family’s lounge. Less than three years old, it was as smart and comfortable as the day it arrived, and already held good memories for the couple and their children Ella, 13, and Thomas, nine.

“I’ve sat there and enjoyed many a beer and takeaway watching the football. And we had a lot of friends round, crammed into the lounge to watch the Euros,” recalled Stuart.

But as part of an extensive renovation programme at their house in Plymstock, they were having a clean sweep and the suite had to go.

“There was nothing wrong with that settee. We could have put it on one of the marketplace apps and got some money for it. But there are people in more need than us and St Luke’s is a deserving charity, so we thought why not donate it so someone can pick up a decent sofa at a much lower cost,” said Stuart. “Plus, I knew St Luke’s was happy to pick up large furniture, so that made it easy for us.”

Although they have no personal link to St Luke’s, Stuart, a mechanical and electrical project manager, and Leanne, who works in HR at Babcock, had heard about the charity’s end of life care. They believe in giving back to the community when they can and have taken on the challenge of several half marathons and other running events to support cancer and dementia charities.

Meanwhile, Sandie was on a mission to find a sofa – and other essential furniture – for the empty new home of friends who were returning to live in Plymouth after working in America.

Trying to stick to a budget, she’d spent the day trawling charity and second-hand shops around Plymouth with no luck at all. She said: “I went in one shop and everything was out of the 1970s. It was awful… I came out so disheartened.”

Sandie was just about to give up hope and drive away empty-handed when she struck gold at St Luke’s large furniture store on Western Approach. Having one more go at her quest to find something good, reasonably priced and in great condition, she popped into the old ToysRUs building.

“I wandered around but didn’t find anything. I was just leaving when I saw two guys walking towards me carrying a sofa and I moved out of the way for them,” said Sandie. “I thought it looked very nice so I followed them through the store and asked if it was for sale. They said yes, they had just brought it in from the back store.”

She knew immediately that it was the one and decided to buy it straight away. “I was absolutely thrilled. I just love it; it’s so comfortable and it’s still a current sofa in the shop it came from. And I knew it could have it within days. If you order one new it’s still a 6-12 week wait before you can have it delivered.”

Sandie was surprised and delighted to discover such a brilliant quality bargain, and in a shop supporting a charity that is dear to her heart. She was happy to learn that the money raised by the sale of the sofa is the equivalent of St Luke’s providing a full package of care and support for a patient and their family at home.

Sandie’s sister, Vanessa was only 50 when she was diagnosed late with Stage 4 cancer and died at St Luke’s specialist care unit at Turnchapel.

“We only had weeks with her left and St Luke’s hospice care and nurses were just amazing – not only for the patient but for us as family members because we are struggling too and they understand that. Nothing was too much bother for them.”

Sandie, who always donates her own unwanted items, said: “Charity shops are not like they used to be. I remember going in with my mum when I was young and it was terrible – full of old people’s stuff and it would smell. I couldn’t bear it. But you go in now and it’s very modern. I was really surprised by the quality when I went in St Luke’s. It’s definitely worth looking in there.”

Sandie isn’t the only one whose is delighted with the new sofa. Doodles – her tiny 12-year-old Yorkipoo – loves it too.

“When the sofa arrived, he came running in and sniffed it from top to bottom; he has now claimed it as his own,” she said. “I’m still helping to get the place sorted for my friends and every time I’m there I make myself a cup of tea, sit down on the sofa and smile.”

Andrew Collins, manager at St Luke’s Western Approach store in the old ToysRUs building, said using St Luke’s is a great way to save money and help the charity.

“Why buy new when you can buy a quality used piece from us? It’s much more affordable and it’s also helps support the care of St Luke’s patients and their families,” he said. “We always need items to sell to generate income for St Luke’s. All we ask is that they are ‘saleable’, so in reasonable condition, and not broken and without any bits missing. And we’re not able to take sofas unless they have got their fire safety regulation labels.”

St Luke’s stores that stock large items of furniture, including sofas and beds are Western Approach (ToysRUs), Plympton furniture warehouse, Sugar Mill at Plymstock and Launceston. If you are after smaller items, you can also try the Transit Way store. For full store details and opening times click here.

If you have furniture you’d like to donate, St Luke’s runs a free collection service and there’s a special number to call – 01752 964455 – that’s manned all year round, except bank holidays.

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