Category: Hospice News
Hospice takes retail online to ensure support during second lockdown
As the nation is plunged into another lockdown and uncertainty about when shops can open again, Lincoln-based St Barnabas Hospice has taken steps to allow supporters to carry on helping.
The Hospice, which has had to close its 26 charity shops, has switched gears and is now focusing on selling both new and used items online.Emma-Jayne Parker, New Goods and E-commerce Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has caused so many problems for businesses and charities, but we are determined to carry on raising money to support some of the most vulnerable people in Lincolnshire.
“By selling some of our items online during the November lockdown and beyond, it gives our supporters a chance to pick up some bargains before Christmas, and it opens a whole new way of working for the Shops department. We have seen fantastic uptake in both groups already and would love everyone to join and invite their friends and family members. Thank you so much to those who have already made purchases – you really are helping to keep the Hospice going through difficult times.”
The Hospice’s retail teams are running two Facebook groups, a pre-loved furniture and homeware group and a brand-new group selling designer goods including Karen Millen and Coast products.
Supporters can join both the Pre-Loved group and the Brand New Facebook group where they will find items for sale, or bid on items the Hospice has for sale on eBay.
There is a selection of Christmas cards and diaries available on the eBay site already and a selection of Christmas and gift ideas on the pre-loved group.
Those who wish to purchase items can use Paypal or pay with card over the phone. Instructions will be sent after purchase. The Hospice is also maintaining social distancing for item collection and is offering P&P and free local delivery on large items.
Lucy Dawson, St Barnabas Hospice supporter, said: “I had a limited budget to buy furniture for my first home when I left university, so buying preloved items from St Barnabas was a huge help to me. I even found some matching pieces! It’s amazing that I can support such a worthy charity whilst at the same time helping the planet by recycling furniture. I’m so pleased to hear that St Barnabas will keep on selling their items during the most recent lockdown.”
A message from St Barnabas Hospice
Following the announcement of a second national Lockdown we would like to assure you that the St Barnabas Hospice services will continue, where possible. We have proven throughout the last 8 months that we can still support thousands of people safely and successfully following government guidelines, and we will continue to do this.
Our Hospice site on Nettleham Road, Lincoln and the Hospice in the Hospice, in Grantham remains open for patients, but we are waiting for guidance on any restrictions on visiting. Our Hospice at Home team will continue to care in the Community and the referral line and online bereavement support will both be available.
It is our priority to keep our patients, staff, volunteers and supporters as safe as possible, so we may have to alter some of our fundraising activity, including the Dragonfly Collections. We will also have a small team working as the majority of the workforce is once again Furloughed, so please bear with us whilst we confirm these plans.
Our shops, including our Donation Drop Off at Cardinal Close will close on Wednesday and re-open when it is safe to do so. However our Christmas Cards and specialist items will be available from our Ebay store. In addition, our weekly Lottery will still be drawn as normal.
Please keep safe, and support one another in this difficult time.
We have appointed our first ever Nurse Associate to work in our Inpatient Unit in Lincoln
St Barnabas Hospice are delighted to announce that Carla Hubbard has become their first ever Nurse Associate, working from the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln.
The nurse associate role has been designed to fill a career gap for those who aren’t quite ready to become a fully registered nurse but would like further training in this area. It is funded as an apprenticeship, which means Carla was still able to work alongside her training at the University of Lincoln. 
Carla said, “I am so proud to have been offered this role – the first of its kind at St Barnabas Hospice. My end goal has always been to become a registered nurse, but I’m not quite at the right point in my life to begin this training. It would mean temporarily leaving St Barnabas, which would be a tough decision!
“I have worked for St Barnabas for several years, starting in the North-West Community team before moving to the Louth Day Therapy team and finally to the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln. The pandemic was tough for us all with constant changes to government guidance, but our patients have always remained at the centre of everything we do, and we have got through so far as a team.
“Everyone I work with is just so wonderful and I have never worked in a place where the people are so caring and compassionate. St Barnabas is just like a family and I feel so supported in everything I do. Even the little things like receiving personalised cards from senior management.
“I decided to work in palliative care when my dad, David, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. His diagnosis came as a huge shock to me and I began questioning “why us?” Dad was given the choice to have chemotherapy which would extend his life for a few months, or to choose no treatment and live for just six to eight weeks. He decided not to have treatment which was hard to hear, but I completely stood by him and made a pledge to be his full-time carer. 
“I have always been a ‘daddy’s girl’, but our roles were completely reversed when I began caring for him. I kept upbeat and positive, helping him make a list of things that he wanted to do before he died. The hardest part during those weeks was when he refused to take medication to manage his symptoms. I had to keep a brave face for him, but there were times when I broke down in front of others.
“We managed to get him into a local hospice towards the end, which gave me huge peace of mind that I wasn’t on my own anymore. The hospice nurses comforted him at the end when he was agitated and confused, and I stayed with him always. Dad always used to call me his little shadow, and I said to him when he died, “Now it’s your turn to be my shadow, Dad. You better not leave me.”
“For me, it is an honour to now care for other people in Dad’s position as I can relate to how they are feeling. I can’t change their circumstances, but I can do my absolute best for them. The more I give back to others, the more I know that this is my calling in life.
“It is really exciting to be starting this new chapter of my career as a nurse associate and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way. St Barnabas Hospice is a wonderful place to work, to visit and to receive care from, and it is a privilege to be part of this.”
St Barnabas Hospice is the leading charity in Lincolnshire providing palliative and end-of-life care to adults living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. To find out more about the services provided free of charge across the county, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk
Our Grantham Hospice is still open to patients throughout the coronavirus pandemic
The St Barnabas Hospice in the Hospital has remained open, caring for some of the most vulnerable in society during the pandemic.
In 2014, St Barnabas Hospice launched their Grantham Hospice in the Hospital in collaboration with United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the South-West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group. The six-bed unit in Grantham and District General Hospital has cared for hundreds of local patients at the end of their lives.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Hospice in the Hospital has remained open, caring for some of the most vulnerable in society. Teresa Carter, a staff nurse in the St Barnabas Hospice Grantham Community Services team, has shared her experience of the Hospice in the Hospital when they cared for her dad, Les, in 2018. 
Teresa said, “My dad was a fiercely independent, proud man who always knew what he did and didn’t want throughout his life. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and had a suspicious lung nodule.
“On 3rd September 2018, a neighbour called me to let me know Dad’s kitchen blind was still closed. I drove round to check on him and found him in his armchair, out of breath and drowsy. He was rushed to Grantham Hospital where he was diagnosed with sepsis and started treatment. When I went to visit him the next day, he was delirious. I was told he was in renal failure and that nothing more could be done. I was totally knocked sideways. Our whole family were in a state of shock and disbelief, feeling frightened and unbalanced. That evening, my dad was transferred to the St Barnabas Hospice in the Hospital for end of life care.
“The team at St Barnabas treated my dad with dignity, kindness and respect at all times. The nurses allowed me to be involved in his care and I could stay with him all the time. Because of St Barnabas, Dad had a comfortable death and our family will always remember that. The Hospice Chaplain was a massive support to me both while Dad was in the Hospice and afterwards. I can’t thank her enough for her presence at such a difficult time.
“On the night that Dad died, the nurses positioned him in his bed so that I could lie next to him. This kind gesture is one which I will always cherish. When Dad’s breathing changed, I lay beside him. He died a few minutes later in my arms.
“I went back to the Hospice a few weeks later with some gifts for the incredible nurses there and they had saved the blanket from the camp bed I had laid on in Dad’s room to give to me. This was the blanket which they had laid over Dad after he died. The thoughtfulness of these nurses is simply beyond belief.
“When you step inside the Hospice in the Hospital, it is not like you would think. It feels homely and is a quiet, private, calm and peaceful place to be. It feels nothing like a hospital. I am so grateful that Dad had this special place to spend his last few days in and was surrounded by an incredible team of staff from the Hospice in the Hospital.
“As a St Barnabas nurse myself, I have very high standards, yet the level of care my dad and family received from the Hospice in the Hospital exceeded my expectations. I feel it is a privilege to be part of so many lives and to help people at such a difficult time. The memory of how people die lives on in those who are left behind, so it is important we get it right. Families never forget, and hopefully they will find some comfort from this over time.”
The St Barnabas Hospice in the Hospital is still here for patients in Lincolnshire who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Patients can come to the Hospice for a short stay to get their pain relief under control, or they may wish to spend their last few days receiving free, round-the-clock care from specialist nurses in a homely environment.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Grantham and District General Hospital is operating as a ‘green site’, meaning all departments are free of coronavirus. St Barnabas Hospice in the Hospital patients are all tested before entry and nurses on this unit do not work elsewhere. The admission process has been streamlined to support families and healthcare professionals during what is a particularly busy and chaotic time.
If you or a loved one would benefit from the care that the St Barnabas Hospice in the Hospital provides, please speak to a healthcare professional such as your GP, community nurse, specialist nurse or hospital doctor. More information can be found at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/care-in-grantham
Hospice nurses are successful in improving end-of-life care in Lincolnshire hospitals
Two nurses from St Barnabas Hospice have seen a 50% increase in end-of-life patient numbers since joining forces with Lincolnshire County Council and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Last year, St Barnabas Hospice was approached by Adult Social Care at Lincolnshire County Council to work in partnership and improve end-of-life care in Lincolnshire hospitals. In November 2019, two wonderful St Barnabas nurses began brand new roles working as Community Care Nurse Specialists in Lincoln County and Boston Pilgrim.
Ashleigh Robinson (Lincoln) and Holly Musgrave (Boston) now work with hospital patients to help identify those who are likely to be entering the final year of their life and get them the help they need sooner. They can give patients psychological support, help with their Advance Care Plan and talk to them about an area of care which they are extremely specialised in.
Holly, who has worked for St Barnabas Hospice for three years, said, “I have always thought that some patients come to the Hospice later than they should, so feel proud that my role means many people at the end of their life are being helped sooner. Before I started working for St Barnabas, it was going through a very difficult time of my life. My colleagues immediately made me feel welcome, comfortable and confident again. St Barnabas helped me change as a person and they are like my family now.”
Ashleigh added, “I have been working for St Barnabas for five years now after doing a placement in the Lincoln Inpatient Unit. Without the support I have received from the Hospice, I wouldn’t be the nurse that I am today. St Barnabas has fully supported both myself and Holly in this transition to new roles away from our colleagues and I am so grateful to them.”
In the first seven months of their roles (from November 2019 to June 2020), they have supported an incredible 261 patients to access end-of-life care sooner. This is a phenomenal increase of 50% in patient numbers. They have also forged a close relationship with the Neighbourhood teams, linking them together with St Barnabas Hospice for the good of the Lincolnshire community.
Holly said, “It is a huge step forward for end-of-life care in Lincolnshire to have these roles in place and the numbers already show just how many people might not have accessed the right care early on without our support. We are both so passionate about end-of-life care, so these new roles are inspiring us to keep learning and improving the care we give.”
Ashleigh added, “It has really surprised me how many people we have been able to reach so far. I’m so excited to be learning more, broadening my skills and spreading the specialist St Barnabas knowledge of end-of-life care.”
Kerry Bareham, Nurse Consultant at St Barnabas Hospice, said, “I am so proud of Holly and Ashleigh for embracing their new collaborative roles within the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. They are wonderful ambassadors for the Hospice and I know they will continue with great levels of success in the future.”
Andrea Kingdom, Interim Area Manager for Hospitals and CSC at Lincolnshire County Council said, “Our Adult Social Care teams at Pilgrim and Lincoln have been delighted to welcome the Community Care Nurse Specialists to our team. Working together, we have been able to increase the recognition of people with palliative and end-of-life care needs. This means we have been able to ensure they and their families and carers are offered the right care and support in the community, at the right time.”
St Barnabas Hospice provides free end-of-life care to adults across Lincolnshire living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, as well as supporting their families and carers. To read more about their services, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk
“It’s been the nurses from St Barnabas that have kept me going”
“These last few months have felt like I have been walking down a long, lonely road. I’ve felt very, very low. Really, it’s been the nurses from St Barnabas that have kept me going.
“I have been in the wars for a long time now. I’ve had a condition with my spine for many years and then recently my heart pretty much decided to stop working. I have a mini defibrillator inside me, and it’s saved my life more than once. Earlier this year, I was told my heart is finally failing and it’s now just a matter of time, they don’t know how long I’ve got. And then the pandemic started; and so I’ve been stuck here at home for the last 5 months.
“It was my heart nurse at the hospital who suggested we get in touch with St Barnabas. I thought it was a mad idea – I wasn’t dying tomorrow, how could they help me? But these special people have become my carers, my friends, my lifeline.
“Jess is ‘my’ nurse and she calls me at least once a week, more if she thinks I need it. She finds out how I’m doing, gives me advice on my medications. Mark is my counsellor and we speak once a week. I can share with him how I’m feeling, I find I can express thoughts and feelings with him that are a struggle with people I love.
“Sonia is my occupational therapist. She was the one who came out to my house and saw that I needed some specialist furniture and things like that – so I can get about more easily and be a bit more independent. Sonia got a powered wheelchair sorted out for me – and organised a ramp so I could get in and out of the house.
“And I also have Zoe, ‘my’ physiotherapist. Zoe has given me back mobility I never thought I’d have again. When Zoe came out to see me she looked round the house and then I took her down the stables to meet my horses. I’ve always kept horses and over the last few months they’ve become so precious to me, I can go and see them and forget about things for a while.
“Zoe asked, “What do you want to achieve?” I told her I hadn’t been able to ride, it had been 18 months since I’d been able to get on my old horse, Monty (and don’t tell the others, but he’s my favourite!). Zoe went away and worked up a physio plan just for me, to give me the strength to get back in the saddle. Three weeks later (with help) I was able to sit on Monty once more.
“At the top of my bucket list is to ride Monty on the beach one more time. But my horse box was stolen last year and so I didn’t think I’d make it. But then St Barnabas told me that one of their nurses keeps horses – and they’re hoping to arrange a trip out for Monty and me.
“St Barnabas’ team have all been utterly dedicated to me – and I can say, hand on (dodgy) heart, that it is their care that has kept me going.
“I know they need funds now to keep them caring, for lots of people like me, over the next few months. I can tell you from first-hand experience; that care is priceless.
I hope you can help.”
Lisa
If you would like to donate to support people like Lisa please go to StBarnabasHospice.co.uk/donate/
National Payroll Week – Lorraine Atchison
It’s National Payroll Week, so what better opportunity than to celebrate the incredible work undertaken by our Payroll and Cash Officer, Lorraine Atchison! Lorraine has been one of our key workers during the coronavirus pandemic and her support has not gone unnoticed.
Lorraine started working for St Barnabas Hospice in June 2017 after taking some time out from work. She had followed and supported St Barnabas for over 15 years, so when the job came up it seemed the perfect fit.
Lorraine said, “St Barnabas is a wonderful local cause which I have supported for many years. Although my friends and family have never needed hospice care, none of us ever know if we will need the support of the Hospice at one point in our lives. To work for a charity that does so much good in the local community is a privilege and I’m very happy here.”
Day-to-day, Lorraine’s role involves making sure 366 St Barnabas staff members are all paid on time. She looks after the different pensions and guidelines as well as HMRC payments, NHS payments and additional payments. This role was made even more complex when the coronavirus outbreak led to some staff members being placed on furlough.
Lorraine said, “I feel lucky that I was able to adapt well to working from home when lockdown began. As you can imagine, the workload for anyone in payroll was stressful at times and often technology wasn’t on my side. There was an increased workload which came from dealing with furlough adjustments, as well as having to do forecasting calculations for staff members wanting to know what their next pay day would look like.”
The biggest challenge Lorraine has faced in her role at St Barnabas was bringing the payroll system into the modern world when she first started the job.
Lorraine said, “There was some tidying up that needed doing and it was a huge job to make everything paperless. It took a whole year to tidy up payroll reconciliation, timesheets are now all electronic and I managed to fast track this work to get rid of paper when the coronavirus hit. It’s great to know we are doing our bit for the environment.”
Natalie Golledge, Head of Finance at St Barnabas added, “Lorraine has made a huge impact on St Barnabas, helping reduce the workload for other team members who were required to do additional checks and reconciliations in the past. She delivers presentations at staff inductions – something which she volunteered to take on for the good of the wider organisation.
“During lockdown, Lorraine volunteered to collect all the post from our closed Day Therapy Centre to ensure the Finance department could keep on top of processing. She plans her holidays around her very tight deadlines and is such an asset to have on the team. We are all very proud of the work she has done and continues to do.”
Lorraine said, “I have so many lovely memories from my time working at St Barnabas. There is always laughter in the office, and I love seeing the achievements of my team and of colleagues across the organisation. I am inspired by the diverse personalities at St Barnabas and have developed both personally and professionally because of my colleagues. Being a part of the St Barnabas experience is such a reward for the work I do, and I always try to support the Hospice outside of work where I can.
“Three generations of my family attended the fabulous Karen Millen event hosted by our Retail team and we always used to love the It’s A Knockout event. I play the Hospice Lottery and am always popping into my local charity shop too. Even my local pub supports the Hospice!”
We want to say a huge thank you to Lorraine for her incredibly hard work over the past three years. She is a wonderful lady and we are proud to have her in the St Barnabas team.
#PraiseForPayroll #HaysWallOfPraise
‘DRIVE-THRU’ Donations in Lincoln
Had a clear out while you’ve been stuck at home? Have you got piles of lockdown loot that could be donated to charity? Then St Barnabas Hospice wants your generosity as it opens its first appointment-only ‘Book and Bring’ donation drive-thru event starting on Monday 29th June.
Those who want to drop off their clothes, books, music, entertainment and anything else they’ve uncovered in the last few months are invited to use an online booking system to secure their time for drop-off at the charity’s Central Warehouse at 12 Cardinal Close, Lincoln, LN2 4SY.
St Barnabas’ Head of Retail, Caroline Peach, said:
“We’re really excited to be able to get our shops open again in the coming weeks, so really want to make sure we hit the ground running with some fabulous donations from our ever-reliable supporters. We have already had a fantastic reaction, so have decided to run the service until at least July 10th.
“If you’ve had a good tidy over the past few months while we’ve all been in lockdown, then this is the perfect opportunity to clear out those closets and help us make up some of the shortfalls we’ve been experiencing as our retail outlets across the county have been closed.”
Once booked on with a drop-off time, supporters are asked to join a specially-created one-way system that ensures donations can be dropped off and collected safely, all while social distancing guidelines are being met.
Caroline continued:
“We’re anticipating a lot of donations and our booking system is already busy with people getting slots. We’d ask that people donating limit themselves to just six bags of clothing, bedding or toys and four boxes of books or homewares. We’re also limiting households to one booking per week, so please be mindful of this when you book! This will mean our teams of volunteers can sort, process and have our stores fully-stocked when we do open. To help with the safety of the event please do not come if you haven’t got a booked slot, as you may be turned away to avoid long queues.”
How to book…
St Barnabas has 26 shops across the region, since 2012, the hospice has sold around 750,000 items with a turnover of more than £16,000,000 for its essential end of life care and associated services.
Two awards at the East Midlands Charity Awards
Following several awards wins last year, we won not one, but two more titles at the East Midlands Charity Awards, namely ‘Best Social and Digital Media’ and the ‘Outstanding Charity Support by Large Companies’ award which has been won in association with our corporate partner, HomeLet
We also made a mark in the overall ‘East Midlands Charity of the Year’ award, coming away with a ‘Highly Commended’ trophy.
“We were over the moon on Thursday evening, our Forget-Me-Not campaign was an amazing one that really struck a chord with our supporters and our social media made people aware of that,” said Head of Income Generation and People at St Barnabas, Michele Duggan. We’re so proud of the Marketing and Fundraising teams for thinking creatively and running such a widely-shared campaign.
“The campaign has been one of our most successful as it raised more than £104,000 and was beautifully-displayed at Lincoln Castle. It is also something that has inspired and shaped our current Dragonflies campaign and the idea of remembering a loved one forever with a keepsake. We are also so pleased to share an award with our valued partners HomeLet, as they are incredibly supportive and it’s great to have that recognised. Credit must go to our staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to provide what we know is an absolutely essential service for those families who need our support the most during what can be very difficult times.”
The awards were handed out in a virtual ceremony due to coronavirus but are set to return in full form next year.
International Nurses Day – Our Specialist Nurse Practitioners
We have three fantastic Specialist Nurse Practitioners working for St Barnabas Hospice, and we wanted to highlight their incredible skill and knowledge on International Nurses Day.
Our Specialist Nurse Practitioners (SNPs) are Ryan Jewitt, Mary Hall and Majella Wright. Majella has put some words together to describe how their role impacts the care we provide each and every day.
Majella said:
“Before joining St Barnabas, my previous roles have been Clinical Nurse Specialist in Lung Cancer at The Royal Marsden Hospital Surrey, Clinical Researcher for the Institute of Cancer Research and a Palliative Care Macmillan Nurse in North Yorkshire. These roles equipped me with skills necessary for an Associate Specialist Nurse Practitioner and I have extensive knowledge and expertise in complex cancer care management, specialist practice, life-limiting illness and end-of-life care.
“As SNPs, our role is to be key accessible figures within the Clincal team at St Barnabas. We act as a specialist resource for GPs, community teams, community hospitals, nursing homes and St Barnabas staff. We often initiate advance care planning discussions and facilitate difficult conversations with patients and their families. This enables an individual to have choices as they approach the end of their life. We also support care home staff to have advance care planning conversations with their residents. This is important as we recognise that the staff have established relationships with residents and their families.
“We are all excellent listeners and strong communicators when dealing with people. It is integral that we have a mature, compassionate and sensitive manner. We are clinical supervisors, therefore must ensure that staff have a confidential, safe and supportive environment to discuss emotive issues that arise from caring for people and their families at the end of their life.
“Many of our patients have complex and challenging care needs. Developing a rapport and coordinating care is an essential part of our roles.
“Ultimately, we all die. We have one chance to get it right and our focus is always on the patient and their carer. I believe health care professionals should be enabling people to live well until death. How we get there is engaging with people, asking appropriate questions and having appropriate meaningful and truthful conversations. A Specialist Nurse Practitioner should be at the front line to engage with patients, their carers and other staff to achieve these goals.”
#IND2020