How hospice staff brought festive sparkle to holiday season
As many people return to the office or classroom after a welcome Christmas break, for many of those who work at Severn Hospice the festive bank holidays were usual working days.
Severn Hospice provides love, compassion, support and outstanding palliative and end of life care 365 days a year to local people living with incurable illness in Shropshire and Mid Wales.
Its dedicated clinical and non-clinical teams do all they can to ensure those staying on its wards and accessing its community and hospice at home care are as comfortable as possible while still enjoying the spirit of Christmas and then new year.
Behind the scenes, the hospice employs an army of staff from doctors and nurses, housekeepers, cooks, administrators, social workers, therapists, drivers and stewards to gardeners, graphic designers, social media experts, fundraisers, and marketers - and along with a band of volunteers they give hours of their time to the care and support of patients and their families.
Nurse Jo Hornsey, who has worked at the hospice for 13 years said: "Everyone assumes that working at the hospice is difficult over Christmas, but it really isn’t. It is just like any other day for me, and we always put the patient first.
“If someone wants to celebrate a proper Christmas that is what we will do; if they want a quiet one, we can do that too. It really is a case of doing whatever is appropriate for the patient.
“I have worked six Christmases. I work with a great team, and we all look after each other.
“We even allow pets to visit the ward and over the years we have had dogs and cats as well as a horse come to see their owners. We want to make Christmas Day as special as we can for our patients and visitors.”
The hospice has two inpatient wards – Perry, at Bicton, Shrewsbury, and Alexandra, in Apley, Telford. All patients stay in single rooms with access to their own bathrooms, are served home-cooked meals and have home from home comforts.
Rose Thomas has worked in the kitchens at Apley for 15 years and along with her colleague Sue rustled up a delicious Christmas dinner for patients and staff.
“I love working Christmas Day and seeing all the relatives come in to see their loved ones. It just makes you feel good. I had the choice of not working this Christmas Day as it falls on my weekend off, but I wanted to."
One special visitor each year is John Britton, a professional Father Christmas who volunteered to visit the wards at Apley and Bicton.
He said: “It is such a lovely thing to be able to do. There is a wonderful atmosphere – it isn’t sad or depressing. Severn Hospice really is an incredibly unique place.
“The nurses go about their daily business, and they never make anything a big deal. They have a confidence that brings comfort to everyone else."
The care provided at Severn Hospice is free - but it doesn’t come without cost. The charity has to raise £2 of every £3 it spends delivering its caring services.
To find out more about Severn Hospice go to severnhospice.org.uk
