Doctors in training share their experiences of the Hospice

Strathcarron Hospice provides training and education and is vital to the learning of medical professionals, helping to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of end of life and palliative care practices. They caught up with Doctors in training Claire and Lewis to find out more about their Strathcarron placements and what they have learned as part of their experience.

“It is nice to know we are making an impact.”

Claire, Foundation Doctor, Strathcarron Hospice

“I think I was quiet naïve before I came to the Hospice – I didn’t realise how much was offered here. Knowing about all the different services has been really interesting to discover and they all work so closely together.

I hadn’t considered that some people may get discharged home from a Hospice.

“I have seen in other health care settings how poorly recognised it can be to know when palliative care should be involved. For me it is good to know what to do now and how to approach someone who might have palliative care needs. Being aware of all the therapies and pain relief and work with that has been really helpful for me to observe.

“People might feel scared about coming here but it’s satisfying to see that once they are here and their symptoms are under control that they are relieved, grateful and happy to be here. It is such a happy place.

“It is nice to see the holistic approach – every clinician wants to achieve this but here it is just done so much better.

“The difficult conversations have been challenging to undertake as a junior doctor, but being here has allowed me to get better at talking with the people we support about dying and finding ways to initiate these conversations.

“It is nice to know we are making an impact.”

Lewis, GP Registrar, Strathcarron Hospice

“I had an underlying expectation that coming to the Hospice would be about end of life care but it is so much more than that.

“I didn’t have a full appreciation of the full breadth of care and services of Strathcarron before I came here. I have always had an awareness of palliative care but it has definitely changed how I think about it.

“You think about Hospices as just being a building but don’t consider the community of care around it. Having the AHP team here with palliative care expertise and experience is so invaluable – it is really special. The services are very joined up which is fantastic.

“It has redefined in my head what a hospice is now.

“After my placement here I feel more comfortable and equipped to assess someone from a palliative care perspective, how best to support them and to know of the treatments and therapies available. I have also learnt about when a hospice admission might be beneficial and a better understanding of services that can be looked into first.

“If I went back to a hospital post, I would be better equipped now to tell others what palliative care and end of life care involves within a Hospice.

“Patients who come in are here for palliative care but when they arrive you are also treating the family, as things can be alleviated by supporting them as well. By treating one person you can help them all ease their burden.

“We do focus on what people want when that time comes, but there is a stronger emphasis about what they are trying to achieve in that moment and making the time they have beneficial. If that means that they are getting home, or improving mobility or whatever that might be, it’s nice to see us trying to achieve that where possible.

“It is all about making the changes to give them a better quality of life for the time they have left – whether that is weeks or months or years it still makes a difference. We have the time and resources here to support them.

“It is always difficult to talk to someone about how their expectation of life isn’t going to pan out how they anticipated – it can be difficult to be the one to have those conversations but being here at the Hospice has made me much more equipped to be able to do that now.

“Strathcarron Hospice really is a breath of fresh air. I will miss it when I move on to my next placement.”

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Tailor Made

As well as offering specialist palliative training we also offer a range of tailor made courses for organisations. Examples of tailor made courses are: