Category: Hospice News
Boston Wellbeing Hub Break-in Statement
We were saddened to hear that last night, two Gelder Group vehicles were stolen from our new Boston site on Endeavour Park. This site is currently under construction as we work to bring a brand-new Wellbeing Hub to the local community offering essential support to patients with an end of life, or life limiting diagnosis.
The site is now secured and we will install further measures to keep the building and contents safe. Unfortunately this will come at significant cost, which will add to the overall budget of the project. Thanks to the hard work of Lincolnshire Police, the vehicles were swiftly recovered in Newark and three people arrested.
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive Officer at St Barnabas Hospice said, “Having spoken to workers on site, this will delay vital groundworks to keep the project on track for opening in November, so we are extremely disappointed.
“We are grateful to Lincolnshire Police for locating the plant equipment so swiftly and are looking forward to being able to resume work at the site once it is feasible to do so.”
Last year, we cared for 1,232 patients in the Boston area. The Boston Wellbeing Hub will enable us to care for even more in the coming years, with a wider range of support available. It will be a new home for hospice care in South Lincolnshire, providing a safe and welcoming space for people to receive high-quality support and care from specialists.
To read more about the project or make a donation, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/bostonappeal
St Barnabas Hospice launches Appeal to finish building flagship Wellbeing Hub in Boston
St Barnabas Hospice is currently building their flagship Wellbeing Hub in Boston, thanks to a generous legacy gift left by a supporter. They are appealing for support from the public to help finish the build this year.
Before the pandemic, the Boston Clinical team at St Barnabas Hospice operated from an aging bungalow which was much loved but had become increasingly run down and didn’t offer the environment needed for staff and patients.
In 2019 a local philanthropist, Stefan Novak, left a legacy gift to be spent on caring for those in the south of Lincolnshire, and this money has been able to fund around half of the build. After receiving additional funding, St Barnabas Hospice now needs help to raise the final 25% of costs, totaling £234,250.
Stefan Novak’s friend, Helen Anastassiou said, “Stefan met his wife Lynn when she was working as an air hostess – and they immediately became inseparable, the most loving couple you could ever have met. When she was diagnosed with cancer in the early 2000s it was devastating – but Stefan remained by her side until her final moments, spent in their local hospice located a few miles from Gatwick airport.
“After Lynn’s death Stefan returned home to Lincolnshire and I knew from long hours talking to him how moved he had been by the exceptional hospice care Lynn had received. I was proud to remain his friend through to Stefan’s final days – but I was amazed to learn of the incredible gift he left in his will to St Barnabas. Stefan wanted as many others as possible to know the same compassionate care Lynn and he received when they really needed it – and I am so proud that his gift has made this new Hospice Wellbeing Hub possible. It is a fitting tribute to such a wonderful man.”
The new building will be named Novak House in honour of Stefan and will be a safe and welcoming space where the people of South Lincolnshire can receive the best care and support from specialists. The final 25% of funds raised will go towards the following rooms:
Treatment and therapy rooms
These dedicated rooms will allow us to provide a range of treatments and therapies in a private, well-equipped space.
Garden room
This multi-functional space will overlook a beautiful garden and can be used for a range of activities including therapy groups, exercise sessions, counselling, social events and more.
Rosie’s: our new lounge and kitchen
Rosie’s will be the vibrant heart of our new building, named in memory of our cherished colleague, Rosie Wood who sadly died from coronavirus. Her memory will live on in our lounge and kitchen, making it a social space for staff, volunteers, patients and family members.
Sheena Ambler, Senior Clinical Services Manager at St Barnabas Hospice said, “Last year we were involved in the care of 1,232 patients in the Boston and Spalding area, which shows a real need for more support locally. The money raised to finish building Novak House really will make a huge difference to so many lives locally, and we can’t wait to welcome people from the community inside to see it finished.”
To find out more information or make a donation towards the build, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/bostonappeal
Coronavirus Statement – 16th July 2021
This week, the Government confirmed their plans to move to the final stage of easing COVID restrictions on 19th July. While this means that most legal restrictions on social contact will be removed, we are asking for our community’s understanding as we keep visitor restrictions and infection prevention measures in place. It is imperative that we act in the best interests of our patients, who are classed as clinically vulnerable.
Up until now, our infection prevention measures have worked well in preventing the spread of the virus among hospice staff, volunteers, patients, families and supporters. Therefore, we want these to continue for the present time.
As a hospice caring for patients with complex and specialist needs, we will continue with the following measures in both our Lincoln Inpatient Unit and Grantham Hospice in the Hospital:
- One named visitor per patient per day.
- Staff and volunteers will continue to wear face masks and undertake regular Covid-19 testing.
- Visitors will be asked to provide a negative lateral flow test on the day or undertake a temperature check prior to the visit and use a face mask during their visit.
In addition, as some of our bases re-open around the county all staff, and volunteers will continue to wear face masks when inside and undertake regular lateral flow tests. We will request that all visitors do the same.
Staff and volunteers will also continue to wear face coverings in our 25 charity shops across the county and will be encouraging customers to do the same to help protect the wider community. Screens and social distancing will still be in use and we have taken the decision to keep changing rooms closed for the time being.
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive at St Barnabas Hospice said, “Although it is fantastic to see light at the end of the tunnel, cases of coronavirus are rising both locally and nationally, so we must not let our guard down.
“We have a duty of care to our patients, staff, volunteers, supporters, customers and local community; therefore, we will continue to do everything in our power to keep people safe. I would like to thank everyone for their incredible support this past year and for being understanding as we find a safe and practical way forward.”
Spalding Cafe to close
After a great deal of consideration, St Barnabas Hospice is to close its cafe in Spalding.
Set up in 2017, the cafe on the town’s market place is set to permanently close despite the Hospice staff and volunteers’ hard work.
Caroline Peach, St Barnabas Hospice Head of Retail, said: “It is with regret that we are to close the cafe in Spalding as part of a restructuring process for all of our retail outlets. The cafe has been a great meeting point for the community and has built up a good customer base but ultimately isn’t a profitable operation for the Hospice.
“We’d like to thank our staff and volunteers involved for their hard work and our customers for their support too.”
St Barnabas Hospice will continue to have a strong presence in the community as their shop is to remain open.
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive at St Barnabas added, “Our commitment to providing care and services within the Spalding area remains unchanged and the Clinical teams at St Barnabas are still working hard on the front line to give patients and their families high-quality, compassionate care.
“With an ageing and growing population, and various health implications left behind as a result of the coronavirus, our care is needed now more than ever. I hope that those who would normally support our cafe at Spalding will be able to find alternative ways to continue that help the Hospice needs during these difficult times. I’d also like to pay tribute to our staff and volunteers for their help.”
To find out more about the free services the Hospice provides to people across Lincolnshire living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, as well as to people struggling to cope following a bereavement, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
Remembering Mum on Mother’s Day
We know that Mother’s Day can be a difficult for day for many, especially in these troubling times when you may be not be around friends or family. We hope these ideas bring comfort to those missing their mum.
Take care of yourself
You may want to spend some time alone, thinking about your mum. You may experience both happy and sad memories, and it is important to treat yourself with the same kindness and care you would show to a good friend.
Write a card
If it feels right for you, write a card or note to your mum. You might want to include what you loved about her, or your earliest memory together. What do you most celebrate about her life?
Remember her
You can do this by simply lighting a candle. If you are not able to be with others who are also remembering her today, you can agree a time when you will light a candle together and hold her in mind. It doesn’t matter that you are not in the same place. The important thing is that you remember her together.
Reach out to those who knew her too
Ask questions or start conversations with others who knew her too. What do they remember about her? What was she like when she was younger? Funny memories?
Remember this is just another day
It can be hard to see others celebrating Mother’s Day when your mum is not here. Remember this is just another day and it will pass. Be kind to yourself.
At St Barnabas we support people across Lincolnshire coping with a bereavement, whether their loved one has been cared for by the Hospice or not. Here are some of the ways we could support you:
Online bereavement groups
These groups offer you a space to express your grief in a safe and supported environment with others that have also experienced a bereavement. There is a maximum of six people within the group plus two St Barnabas facilitators who are there to offer support.
Click here to book onto a session.
Bereavement helpline
St Barnabas have opened a bereavement helpline for the people of Lincolnshire in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This helpline offers support for those experiencing grief from all bereavement not just the coronavirus. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 11am to 3pm.
Call: 0300 303 1897
On accessing the bereavement helpline, if it is identified that you would benefit from ongoing one to one support, a referral can be made for you to access either telephone or webcam sessions with one of our trained supportive listening or counselling bereavement volunteers.
Thank you to the wonderful people at the Little House Lincoln for keeping us supplied with scrubs during a difficult year
St Barnabas Hospice are very grateful to the Little House Lincoln who have donated 368 sets of scrubs, 317 scrubs bags and a number of embroidered hearts over the past year.
The Little House Lincoln formed in April 2020 and responded in a fantastic way to the coronavirus pandemic. Almost a year on and they have made and delivered an incredible 13,562 sets of scrubs locally, plus other items including scrubs bags, scrubs caps, patient nightwear, face coverings, ear savers and paired hearts. This brings their total of items made to around 29,000!
These items have been made by sewers in Lincoln, Horncastle, Sleaford, Wragby, Market Rasen, Thorney, Louth, Stamford and other areas across Lincolnshire. They have been delivered to a range of healthcare settings including local hospitals, NHS community staff, mass testing and vaccination teams, care homes and other frontline care staff.
Pearl Constance, Area Coordinator for the group said, “The reasons people have for wanting to make and donate scrubs varies greatly from person to person. For most of us it was a way to make and valuable contribution whilst being in lockdown. Some have personal reasons for wanting to give back to the NHS or Hospice, after care they, family members or friends have received. Many on furlough or having lost their jobs saw it as a way to use their skills and time to help those in the frontline. Many, especially those shielding have said it has been great for their own mental health, they have been able to contribute the a community group whilst keeping safe.
“For me personally, as a theatre Costumier I had lost my work for the foreseeable future, so I had the time and skills needed. I was concerned for the safety of my family all key workers, a teacher, a police officer and a doctor and I decided to put my time and skill to good use and keep busy. I didn’t know how busy that would be! I expected to make 10 or 20 sets and offered to put a box on my drive as a collection point, I never expected to become an area coordinator but I have met the most amazing community of people and although at times it has got a bit much I don’t regret doing it.”
The group is always welcoming new sewers to come on board and have asked people to get in touch by emailing thelittlehouselincoln@gmail.com or visiting their Facebook group.
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021 and a tribute to Dr Helen Walker
Today is #InternationalWomensDay and we would like to start by paying homage to Dr Helen Walker, one of the founding members of St Barnabas Hospice who sadly died last month age 92.
Helen played a pivotal role in the committee which set up our beloved Hospice, working with other doctors and consultants to create a safe haven for those reaching the end of their life back in 1979. She worked with Sheila Briggs and Doreen Wood to fundraise for our first Inpatient Unit, which opened on Lindum Terrace in 1982, and she received a special commemoration award in 2017 as part of our 35th birthday celebrations.
Today at 11.15am, Helen’s funeral will take place at Lincoln Cathedral and representatives from St Barnabas will attend to honour such a wonderful lady who gave hope to the people of Lincolnshire during difficult times.
Helen leaves behind a remarkable legacy which we will be forever indebted to.
St Barnabas Hospice in 2021
“Here’s to strong women… may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.” ????????????????????♀️????????????????????
On #InternationalWomensDay we are proud to announce that 85% of our workforce is female and an incredible 74% of staff in management roles are female. Here is just a small selection of the inspirational ladies who work across the Hospice in clinical and non-clinical roles…
We have so many amazing women working and volunteering for the Hospice, but today we have decided to highlight five individuals who represent the wider clinical and non-clinical teams across the county. Read on to find out more about Jen, Chloe, Georgina, Marie and Silvia.
Jen White – Management Accountant
I enjoy working for such a worthwhile and caring organisation alongside a great team of people. It is satisfying to know that my role combines my enjoyment of working with numbers with making a small contribution to the high quality of care that the people in Lincolnshire receive from St Barnabas.
I work part time as a management accountant in the finance department. This involves helping to ensure that transactions are correctly accounted for and producing the monthly management accounts for departmental heads, showing their income and expenditure against budgets. I am also involved in monitoring the cash position of the Trust and cash flow forecasting.
Chloe Pearson – Welfare & Benefits Team Leader
I enjoy working for St Barnabas because I get to work with an incredible team of people and mine and their main goal is to ensure we help as many patients/families as we possibly can across Lincolnshire. It’s a really rewarding job, to not only enjoy your work, but to be able to help others who are going through a difficult time.
I have worked at St Barnabas 9 years this year, and my role is welfare & benefits team leader. I lead a team of 8 welfare & benefit advisers. Our role is to support patients with financial help when they have been diagnosed with a life limiting illness. My role is to ensure we help as many patients and their families access welfare benefits and financial support that they are entitled to and help with applying for benefits/grants and practical support such as blue badges. We also help support with bereavement benefits; we take the pressure off when they need to concentrate on their health.
Georgina Keenleyside – Consultant Palliative Medicine and Medical Director
My job is split between a clinical consultant role and the Medical Director role. Clinically I work as a consultant supporting patient care in the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit, Lincoln County Hospital and via the telephone advice line for health care professionals across Lincolnshire.
As Medical Director I have a leadership role as an executive of the Hospice which considers all aspects of how we best deliver outstanding hospice care in Lincolnshire. As part of my role, I have the opportunity to work with the county wide strategic groups which aim to improve palliative and end of life care for everyone in Lincolnshire.
All the teams at St Barnabas Hospice have a compassionate and professional approach to care that I feel every day which motivates me to be the best I can be. Hospice care is about more than what takes place within our hospice buildings, it’s the outstanding care we can deliver to every person that each member of staff and our wonderful volunteers support. St Barnabas cares for people across Lincolnshire and works collaboratively with other organisations to get the right care at the right time for every individual. It is the care I would want for my family so for me that is the best test of what we deliver, and I am forever proud to be a part of this.
Having a medical role with patients in addition to my executive role has allowed me to really understand the care we deliver and translate that to drive continuous review and improvements. St Barnabas never stands still and whilst recognising great work is also looking ahead to new ideas and improved ways of working. This is exciting for me and a new idea or challenge each day keeps me thinking.
I have worked at St Barnabas for 10 years and working through the pandemic has been the most challenging time I and many others have experienced. During this year, I have seen resilience and, at times when batteries are running low, such care and attention to do what is right for our patients, carers, supporters and each other. That is what has kept me wanting to come to work each day.
Marie Pattison – Supporter Care Officer
I enjoy talking to our wonderful supporters and seeing the heartfelt words of appreciation they send in their letters along with their kind donations. It all goes to show how much we all make a difference to people’s lives in their time of need.
My role is to ensure all the donations are recorded and acknowledged in a timely and precise manner along with ensuring we look after our supporters the best we can.
Silvia Potts – Health & Rehabilitation Support Worker
My name is Silvia Potts and I work in Day Therapy Grantham. My role entails the delivery of Tai chi, Relaxation, Exercise class and fatigue as well as horticultural class and memory box making. I can also give hand relaxation and training to be spiritual champion and have attended mindfulness courses. I am also involved in the organising of the day to day running of day therapy and phone support for our patients.
What I like especially in my job is the interaction with our patients. Our service aims to smoothen the road ahead and to enable our patients to get the best quality possible and benefits available to their individual circumstances.
I love the positive feedback we often receive and the confirmation from our patients that what we do is enhancing their life and they actually love coming to see us or be visited by us as we currently do. The job satisfaction is immeasurable, and I feel humbled now and then how lucky I am to be able to help our patients with what looks very little but achieves so much time and time again.
Hop to it and Fundraise with us
To continue raising funds for 2021, St Barnabas Hospice is asking its supporters to go hopping mad this Spring.
With Easter just a few weeks away, the Hospice is ‘egg-cited’ to launch the St Barnabas Bunny Hop, which is perfect for nurseries, childminders and schools.
This free-to-register fundraiser provides supporters and their bunnies with all the support and resources needed to plan the big Hop.
Fundraising Development Manager at St Barnabas, Caroline Swindin, said: “We’re excited to launch our Bunny Hop and getting involved couldn’t be easier. Supporters just need to pick a date between 22nd March and 16th April to hold their Bunny Hop and Barney the bunny will deliver a FREE pair of fluffy bunny ears for each child and one lucky adult!
“Nurseries, groups or schools simply need to set up a JustGiving page where supporters can make a donation in the weeks leading up to the Hop. Everyone who sets up their JustGiving page by 16th March will also receive a Bunny Hop Easter Egg Hunt kit, including chocolate eggs and bunny footprints.”
The hospice has set up a sponsorship target of £5.10 for each child taking part. This small donation provides a patient receiving Hospice at Home care with hot and cold packs to help soothe swollen joints and offer pain relief from aching muscles.
Even smaller donations can make a big impact for a patient, which is why any sponsorship raised is gratefully received.
On the day, bunnies can choose to hop around their nursery, garden or bounce across a school playing field.
Barney will also be making some special appearances on social media, so make sure you follow #BunnyHop to see what Barney is up to next.
To say a big thank you, Barney will also send a video message after Hops and a downloadable certificate too.
Registrations close on 15th March, or earlier if the event is full.
Hop to it and register here: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/bunnyhop
St Barnabas Hospice calls for urgent help
Despite battling through the pandemic, Lincolnshire-based St Barnabas Hospice is facing a crisis due to a combination of more people than ever needing care and a lack of its usual income.
As the pandemic continues, the hospice has found the past year incredibly difficult. Despite switching much of its fundraising efforts online and running appeals to make up as much of the shortfall as possible, the Hospice is now losing out on more than £1,000 per day.
Director of Patient Care, Michelle Webb, said: “2020 was incredibly tough on everyone, and there is a lot to be said for how we came through previous lockdowns. As we entered 2021, we hoped we would see things return to normal much more quickly.
“The St Barnabas team, across the whole of Lincolnshire, are still working incredibly hard to give every patient we see the personalised, compassionate care our charity has provided to local people for nearly 40 years now. However, unlike the NHS, we must fund most of our care directly from donations and fundraising.”
As the Hospice’s charity shops are also currently shut, income is simply not there, and its most lucrative fundraising events such as the Colour Dash, Moonlight Walk, and others cannot take place on the same scale as before.
The charity, which operates across Lincolnshire and helps with a variety of services including palliative care, welfare and benefits, grief support and more, has set up a Urgent Care appeal via the website: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/careappeal where people can contribute as much or as little as they feel they can afford.
Ongoing events that have been able to continue are still open for registration. You can raise money via the Hospices ‘Don’t Quit, Get Fit’ fitness challenge here https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/dontquit/, or families and schools can register for the Bunny Hop here: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/bunnyhop/
“Your support is a lifeline to so many folks; and our care – and compassion in this dire time – is absolutely crucial.”
Hello there,
My name is Teresa and I’ve been a nurse here at St Barnabas for 12 years. My job is hugely rewarding – even though it’s
become so much harder since COVID-19 arrived. Out in the community, caring in people’s own homes, you get to know people really well. I like to hear their stories, to let them know I have time and that when they want to talk to me, I will listen. It gives people the confidence to know we care. That’s so important – because people are not defined by their illness.
One thing we nurses hear from families all the time is, “You’re amazing – we could not have done this without you!” Or, “You don’t know what a relief your visit is; now I don’t feel so alone.” I’ve heard that so many times over the years – and I’ve always accepted it gratefully. But I also know how absolutely true it is – because when the nurses, my colleagues, looked after my dad a couple of years ago, they lifted a massive weight off my shoulders.
Dad was a very private man, proud and independent man – not keen on talking. He was an exparatrooper and he would always rather do things for himself and struggle than have someone’s help. So, when he messaged me and said, “I’m struggling a bit, duck” I popped straight down to see him. And then he said, “I don’t think I can manage.” That’s when I knew I needed to do something; so I referred him to the hospice.
He had an amazing summer with ‘the girls’ – my wonderful nursing colleagues. For six weeks they went in to support him with his personal care, to monitor his breathing and to give him the opportunity to talk about things that he wouldn’t speak with myself about. I used to go get his paper for him each day – but when the other nurses came in, he’d ring me and say ‘Ah, I don’t need you today!’. He was in control of how often they would visit, he regained his independence and confidence, his breathing improved, and he decided that he no longer needed any support from hospice at home. He went on to have a wonderful summer. Until one day in September when he became unwell and was admitted to hospital.
Over the weeks his lung function continued to deteriorate; in the end, he needed full time, specialist care. He went into the Hospice in the Hospital. The staff in the unit were amazing with my Dad, myself and my family. They were so kind, caring and looked after us all so well. I slept on a bed next to my Dad in his room and they supported me to care for my Dad in his final days.
I’m a trained nurse with years of experience but those final weeks with Dad were mentally and emotionally exhausting, even with St Barnabas to help me. I always knew that looking after someone who was dying was hard work. I always knew that your heart breaks and it’s so painful. But I don’t think you can really know until you experience it. Now I feel I have a much deeper insight into how hard it is – and how this past year has been even more difficult for so many families.
There are some people I’m seeing now who haven’t been out since March. The social isolation has had a massive impact on people with health issues – and their families as well. I always try to allow more time to talk to people now – whether they want me to visit (in all my PPE) or just on a call.
Today, we’ve come a long way since the early days of the pandemic – when we could only do the most essential visits. But it’s still so hard; many more people than ever are asking for our help. I hope, if you can, you’ll help me and my colleagues to keep caring for local families, helping to lift the weight off their shoulders when it really matters. Your support is a lifeline to so many folks; and our care – and compassion in this dire time – is absolutely crucial.
If you would like to donate to support terminally ill people in your community, bringing vital care and support to them while we wait for the pandemic to end, please visit StBarnabasHospice.co.uk/donate