AS families gather for festive celebrations, staff and volunteers at St Giles Hospice will be working round the clock to ensure patients spending their final Christmas receive the care and comfort they deserve.
While most of us will be unwrapping presents with loved ones on 25th December, Jess Smyth will be starting her shift at 7am on the Inpatient Unit in Whittington.
As sister, she’ll be joined by two registered nurses, four healthcare assistants and a team of dedicated volunteers – all giving up their own Christmas Day to care for patients at the end of their life.
Jess said:
“Being the first person a patient sees on Christmas morning feels like a privilege.
“We love giving each of our patients a small gift and supporting them to open it, creating a moment of warmth at the very start of their day.”
Last year, 108 people accessed St Giles services over the two-week Christmas period, with 15 patients cared for on the Inpatient Unit, 54 patients supported by the community team, and 19 people – including two children – receiving bereavement support from the family support and wellbeing team.
To run the hospice over Christmas costs around £416,000, with less than a quarter of St Giles’ £10million annual running costs funded by the Government.
The Inpatient Unit decorations went up at the start of December, with a mixture of real and artificial Christmas trees kindly donated by supporters.
Patients and families have also been joining staff and volunteers for carols on the unit.
Patients are also offered a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, while families can spend time together in the hospice’s new family lounge.
Jess said:
“There is something truly magical about watching a patient singing along to a Christmas favourite – those moments stay with all of us.
“For some, this may be their last Christmas together, and we do everything we can to make that time feel cherished.”
Staff wear Christmas headbands and festive scrub tops, bringing smiles to patients and relatives alike.
Volunteers add to the warmth of the day, including welcoming families at reception, helping with Christmas dinner washing up over the festive period.
Jess said:
“Christmas is a magical day for me personally. It’s emotional being away from my own family, but working at St Giles gives me space to reflect on the people I love, both those still with me and those I’ve lost.”
“A real reward for knowing you have made a difference”
While the community team’s healthcare assistants continue visiting patients on Christmas Day – even helping them into their Christmas jumpers – the nursing team works tirelessly in the weeks before to ensure everyone has the support they need.
Leia Roden, deputy clinical lead in the community team, explained:
“We visit patients before Christmas to make sure they have the care and support they need through the festive period, helping them to feel as comfortable as possible so they can spend precious time with their loved ones.”
“Working for St Giles over the Christmas period is like nowhere I’ve ever worked before. You get a real reward for knowing you have made a difference to someone, especially their experience of Christmas – even more so if it is likely to be their last.
“There is a real sense of camaraderie within not just the Community Team but the whole hospice.”
For Jane Morris, senior family support worker, Christmas brings a different kind of challenge – supporting families facing their first festive season without a loved one.
“It’s such a difficult time – the people who made Christmas so magical aren’t there anymore.
“We try to support families through this, guiding them with care as they find their way forwards.”
Last Christmas, the team supported 17 adults and two children experiencing grief during the festive period.
Leon Ratcliffe, director of clinical services, emphasised that planning for the festive period begins in October and November, ensuring fair rotas while meeting patient needs.
Staff try to alternate years so everyone gets time with their own families, and the hospice ensures senior manager support is in place so frontline staff feel supported throughout the festive period.
Leon said:
“We’re here for our patients and families 365 days a year. Christmas can amplify really difficult times – and we’ve got to recognise that our support has got to be there every single day.
“Healthcare is very unpredictable and we need to make sure that we’ve got the staff and teams in place to meet the needs of patients and families.”
Leon said last year’s challenges – when financial pressures forced the hospice to make 23 staff redundant – had seen those at the hospice rally round.
“To see the extra mile our staff went – not just on our Inpatient Unit but in our communities – was just evidence of how lucky we are to have the staff that we do.
“They continued to deliver the very best care during and after that really difficult time.
“It’s also important to recognise that Christmas can be very festive and joyous, but for people going through really tough times – whether that’s now or reflecting on what’s happened in the past – it can amplify those feelings.
“We’re here 365 days a year, and that’s really important so that somebody’s there to support when things are really difficult.”
St Giles Hospice has launched a Christmas Appeal asking the local community to donate to help ensure services can be delivered over the coming year.
Donations of £30 could fund an hour of specialist care, £60 could fund a specialist nurse visit to a patient at home, and £128 could fund a nurse for Christmas Day.
People can give online at www.stgileshospice.com/christmasappeal, by calling 01543 432538, texting 10XMAS to 70470 to donate £10, or by posting a cheque to Christmas Appeal, St Giles Hospice, Fisherwick Road, Lichfield, WS14 9LH.
