Latest news from Palliative Medicine

A registered nurse at Royal Derby Hospital has been recognised for his care of a patient based in the Nightingale Macmillan Unit, after their family described him as "a modern superhero" for his compassion, professionalism and support during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Alex Newby, who works in the Nightingale Macmillan Unit (NMU), was subsequently nominated for a Making a Difference Award, in the Patient Hero category, by the family of the patient - who said the quality of his care helped the whole family feel safe and comforted. 

End of life care teams at organisations across Derby and Derbyshire, including UHDB, are now offering free, supportive, compassionate sessions to support those with loved ones who are approaching their final days.  

Only months into her first role as a Registered Nurse at UHDB, Agata Chirek has been praised by a family for her care, compassion and support throughout their father's final days. 

A specialist nurse at Royal Derby Hospital who treated a patient before they sadly passed away, received recognition by their family for providing the compassionate care that allowed them to "pass away peacefully and with dignity".

Gill Cook, a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Upper Gastrointestinal (known as 'Upper GI') Oncology, first met the patient following their diagnosis of cancer. When the patient's condition deteriorated, she worked tirelessly to move him from A&E to Ward 303 - ensuring he had a private room so his family could be with him in his final moments. Gill stayed late into the evening and went above and beyond to provide additional support to the family, ensuring the patient’s comfort and dignity.

Staff, families, and friends recently gathered to celebrate five years of compassionate care on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital (FNCH) - a dedicated place to care for patients reaching the end of their lives.

Opened in January 2020, this 14-bed ward has supported over 3,000 patients on end-of-life care and their families, supporting them during the most challenging time. The ward plays a crucial role in the last stages of a patient's life - everyone has the right to a good death, one that is personalised to each patient and respects theirs and their family's wishes.

The daughter of a patient cared for at Royal Derby Hospital returned to the site to pay tribute to the compassion shown by colleagues on Ward 203 and within our Dementia teams - after their sheer determination and hard work to reunite her with her husband at their home while receiving palliative care.

The patient, named Mo, was diagnosed with hearing loss and vascular dementia and was admitted to A&E following a fall that required surgery. During her recovery from surgery, she struggled with communication and eating, prompting a referral to the Dementia Team for additional support. 

Two teams at Royal Derby Hospital and Florence Nightingale Community Hospital 'turned a dreadful situation into an amazing end' when they reunited a husband and wife for their final days.

A patient who was admitted to Ward 301 at Royal Derby Hospital praised the team for making him feel "safe and not alone" after he was admitted to the ward to receive end of life care. The patient, who will remain anonymous, wrote his letter that the team had made "an impossibly terrible situation bearable and easier, going well beyond their scope of duty".

The heart-warming feedback led to the Ward 301 team being awarded our latest Team UHDB Making a Difference Award, which was presented to them by Executive Chief Operating Officer, Sharon Martin, and members of the management team from our Cancer, Diagnostics and Clinical Support (CDCS) Division.

This week (2 December-8 December) is Grief Awareness Week.

Clare Hicklin is a Sister on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, which offers palliative care to patients.

Clare has shared her thoughts on what grief means to her and her team:

Colleagues who offer palliative care to patients nearing the end of their lives have been recognised for their compassion with a Making a Difference Award.

The team on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital were given the CEO award for their continuous efforts to help terminally ill patients and their families.