This Hospice Care Week team members from Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds have given a glimpse into their working lives as they share what makes working in palliative care so special.
Angela Murphy has worked for the hospice for nearly 10 years. Starting off as a registered nurse she is now the practice educator, looking after the healthcare team’s training needs. A fascinating and varied role, Angela could be doing anything from running face to face teaching sessions for staff to arranging student nurse placements.
Although there’s plenty to keep Angela on her toes, she is keen to highlight one of the biggest plus points she has found to working at the hospice. She said:
“I would always say time. I have time in this setting that I did not have in previous settings where I have worked. Having the opportunity to sit with service users and actively listen to them is so important and I do feel that we achieve this at Sue Ryder. I feel that we have the time to make people feel safe and valued. Similarly in my current role as practice educator I am very privileged to have the time to actively listen to my colleagues about their learning needs.”
Lynn Martin, the administration team manager at the hospice shares:
“All the staff are dedicated and compassionate, they provide care and support to our service users and are a great team to work alongside. I work very closely managing the administration teams who are a fantastic group of people and the support they provide to the clinical staff is first class.”
Angela is similarly positive about what makes the hospice such a great place to work added: “My lovely colleagues! Being part of an amazing team, with a wealth of experience who all have one goal to provide the best care possible is what makes it.”
Jane Wilde, the discharge planning coordinator at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice sums up:
“It is a friendly small place, and you feel like you can make a difference, everyone is passionate about their work.”
Jane’s role involves her working very closely with patients and their families, and other members of the healthcare team to make sure that if someone wants to go home from the hospice the move is as seamless as possible. She poignantly explains why she feels so passionately about what she does:
“When discharging someone home you only have one chance to get it right, especially for end-of-life care.”
The positive side of working in a hospice is something that Angela Murphy is also keen to share:
“As expected, there will be sadness, there will be hard days but there is also so much happiness and satisfaction working in palliative care. It is really inspiring when different teams work together to help our service users achieve their goals. In my experience this could be anything from visiting an air traffic control tower to ensuring someone can independently make it to the shop once a week. If you like to problem solve and enjoy helping people achieve their goals this could be the career for you.”
Lynn Martin is similarly encouraging added:
“It can be challenging but very rewarding. People have a misconception that working within a hospice can be very sad but it is quite the opposite. The staff are very positive and have a real teamwork ethos. I would really encourage anyone looking into a career in palliative care.”
Quentin Krang, Head of Operations at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice said:
“It is a real privilege to work with the team here at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice. The dedication and compassion they bring to their jobs supporting patients and their families here in Leeds is incredible.”
For more information about Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, please visit: www.sueryder.org/wheatfields
For more information about working at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice and current vacancies, please visit: www.sueryder.org/jobs
