An Oldham hospice has been announced as a finalist for the National 2021 Nursing Times Award.
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice has been shortlisted for the award in recognition of the support that its Hospice at Home team have provided across the community.
The Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing community to shine a light on the brightest talent in the profession and recognise the hard work that goes into caring for others.
The Royton-based hospice visit patients in their own homes from 7am-9pm, providing patients and their families with the care required to ensure the patient can remain in their own home.
Lindsey Harper, Lead Nurse for Community Services at the Hospice, said: “Our focus has always been on the wishes and subsequent individualised care for the patient, however, we wanted to put something in place that would identify any issues or concerns that the patient’s main carer was experiencing and a toolkit/advice or support from other services to help.
“Providing additional support to the main carers of people approaching the end of their life has increased the number of families able to fully support their loved ones wishes of dying at home.
“Prior to this intervention it was common for main carers to become overwhelmed and request the transfer of their loved one to the Hospice’s In-Patient Unit. This brought with it feelings of guilt and failure for the main carer because they had previously promised their loved one, they would remain at home.
“We are extremely proud that we have been able to support more families across the community and are delighted to have our amazing work recognised, it is a huge honour for our Hospice at Home service to be a shortlisted finalist in this years’ Nursing Times Awards!”
The key aims of the hospice’s new measures were to identify areas of concern for the main carers of the patient who were entering the terminal phase of their illness. There has been a large reduction in the number of families requesting the transfer to the in-patient unit since this.
One family member of a patient who accessed the Dr Kershaw’s Hospice at Home service since the new measures had been implemented commented: “To describe our experience of Dr Kershaw's as a service does not do justice to the depth of care and dedication shown to all the family as well as my husband at what was a tremendously stressful and distressing time.”
Speaking of being shortlisted for the Award, Dr Kershaw’s CEO, Joanne Sloan said: “After such a challenging 16 months, we are absolutely thrilled to have been shortlisted for a Nursing Times Award!
“During the pandemic, our Hospice at Home Team has had even more impact in the community, particularly at times when our In-Patient Unit has been closed.
“This nomination celebrates and recognises the work of our dedicated nursing team, out in the community who provide care and support to both patients and families when they need it the most.”
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice at Home Team will be attending a judging day in September where they will present their entry to the judges in more detail, with the winners later announced at the official Nursing Times Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 27 October at Grosvenor House in London.
For more information on the Nursing Times Awards visit www.awards.nursingtimes.net
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