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Writing this on a day when I admitted an old medical colleague and heard that a patient from 15 years ago has died suddenly - I had known him in a previous role - yes, I get sad, but the challenge of getting it right for our patients in a limited period of time is still a challenge to which I and the multi-disciplinary team rise. “We are here to help our patients live until they die” is the response that the more I say it the more I believe it, and it is why we remain so positive about our work. All our lives are full of laughter, sorrow and tears and so the Hospice life reflects the life that is around us. The building and multi-disciplinary team continues to develop, whether in terms of piped oxygen to all bed sides, new flooring, new decorations or new members of staff, the Hospice rolls on in its development programme. New staff bring new skills, attitudes and approaches, but the basic philosophy remains the same: whole patient care. Our medical team continues to support our hospice in-patients, day care and out-patients. I am indebted to my team (Dr Maggie Guy, Dr Cathy Dent, Dr Angela Curran, Dr Michelle Hargreaves and Dr Joan Carvill) who have worked together despite medical staffing shortages. This reflects the national recruiting problem in palliative medicine. My own role as Consultant in Palliative Care at Frimley Park Hospital and the Royal Surrey County Hospital brings me into contact with the hospital based Macmillan teams within the wards of our busy local district general hospitals, where over 50% of cancer patients die. I and team members are involved in teaching Health Care Assistants, trained nurses both in the hospitals and community, doctors of all grades from medical students to consultants and many other non-medical personnel who are interested in our work, including trainee chaplains. As medical advisor to the Beacon Community Cancer and Palliative Care Resource Centre in Guildford I have weekly meetings with our community based Macmillan nurse colleagues to discuss clinical problems. We continue to be encouraged to take on more care for adults with non-malignant disease. Last year 4.4% of our admissions were for non-malignant disease in line with the 2000/2001 national hospice figures of 4.8%. Few of us would argue that palliative care principles cannot apply to a range of non-malignant conditions, such as heart-lung disease. However, with waiting lists most weeks for cancer patients to be admitted to the Hospice, a medical knowledge base that is currently centred around cancer and the national shortage of palliative care doctors, I anticipate little change to our existing pattern of work in the foreseeable future. We still have much to do for the 1 in 4 of the population who will not be cured of cancer.
Dr Carey
Morris |
| Medical Statistics 2002-03 | |
| Statistics | 2000/2001 |
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New Referrals |
659 |
| Admissions | 402 |
| Discharge Rate | 30.3% |
| Deaths | 276 |
| Mean Length of Inpatient Stay | 13.8 days |
| Bed Occupancy | 88.4% |
| Booked Day Care Attendances | 2479 |
| Community Team Visits | 1050 |
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“It is impossible to understand the magic of Hospice care until one has experienced it, but it reached into every corner of my life from the moment of my arrival”
Listening to friends telling of the deaths of loved ones I realise what a privilege it was for all of us that he should die in your hospice – where the process was allowed to take its course with acceptance and dignity, and where we, the family, were equally cared for and made to feel at ease with our wildly volatile emotions. It was a harrowing and awesome experience being with dad during his last days and hours, but one that none of us will ever forget. I can’t imagine a kinder environment for such a momentous human event, and once again thank you all for the infinite trouble you took to create it for him and for us. With kindest regards,
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