Beth Swallow is a staff nurse caring for people at the Hospice:

“Working at St Helena is incredibly rewarding because it allows me to offer compassionate care to our patients. It is a privilege to spend time with people and get to know them and their families, hear their stories and hopefully make some difference in their lives.”

Debbie Vincent is a clinical nurse specialist who visits people at home to support them and their loved ones:

“The nicest part of my job is making a difference, especially when people are going through one of the worst times of their lives. It's about bringing a smile to their face, listening to them, and making sure we can make their journey as fluid as we can, giving them as much support as we can throughout. 

“It's an honour to be invited into their own space and be with people in their own homes, making sure they know we, as a hospice team, are there at any time to contact us for support out in the community.”

When people call our 24/7 SinglePoint phoneline, our expert nurses are there to give advice and support or maybe a rapid response visit, like senior nurse Rachel Hill:

“I love being that nurse at the end of the phone, being there for that caller and allowing them to relieve their distress. You can hear the relief in their voice by the end of the call. 

“As a rapid response nurse, I am able to give time to the patient and their family, to allow them to make informed decisions regarding their care, and provide reassurance during their difficult time. It's a privilege being there for them and making a difference in their journey."

Debbie Miller is the Hospice ward clerk and the first face people see when they go onto the inpatient unit:

“It's nice to be able to help people when they come in to visit their loved ones them, even if it's just giving them a Wi-Fi code, making sure they have everything they need for their visit, or where to get a cup of tea from. 

“My role means I dabble in everything like getting transport sorted, making follow up calls for people who have gone home, phoning up the hospital, and getting medications sent to us. I tend to know a little bit about everything so I can generally help somebody with a query.”

Nicola Smeeth is a specialist physiotherapist who visits people at home to support them with mobility and exercise, helping them remain active for their wellbeing and independence:

“Having a holistic approach as physiotherapists means we can play a key role in improving someone’s quality of life. By seeing people in their own environments and what they enjoy doing and how they live day to day, we get a full picture of what their lives are like and how we can work as a team to help them live their lives and do the things that are important to them. 

“We help people think about setting their own goals to give them back some control  at such a difficult time, giving them a sense of purpose and therefore improving their quality of life.”

Louisa Elvin is one of the Hospice domestic assistants who quietly cleans the Hospice daily:

“Working at the Hospice you know you are part of something special. I love speaking to patients and learning about them and their lives, making sure they're comfortable and helping wherever possible. 

“The Hospice is peaceful and seeing patients with their families having picnics in the garden in the summer and making memories, is lovely to witness and be a part of.”

Dr Kath Oakley is a consultant in palliative medicine at St Helena:

“Being able to work with patients and those close to them towards the end of their life is a great privilege. Working with the Hospice multi professional team and seeing how together we can change lives, means that every working day I feel I have made a difference. 

“I am always humbled by the interactions I have with patients and their loved ones - the stories told, the laughter and the tears. Many face their illnesses with a strength they had never anticipated.”

There are lots of people who work behind the scenes at St Helena, like Simon Vick, maintenance technician, who does a variety of repair and refurbishing jobs around the Hospice building to keep up the standards of a safe environment.

“When we go into patient rooms to do jobs, we get to have a little conversation, which is very pleasant. I find sometimes that some people haven't got any family around and they like that little opportunity to see someone's face and have a little chat, and I enjoy talking with them too. 

“Working with the people here in the wider St Helena team is a pleasure; they're very, very hard working and dedicated and lovely people.”

Nurse Beth Swallow

Clinical nurse specialist Debbie Vincent

SinglePoint nurse Rachel Hill

Ward clerk Debbie Miller