A day in the life of our Community
Nursing Team – Simon Lewis
Simon Lewis is a member of our community nursing
team, one of 22 staff who care for approximately
400 people at any one time living with potentially
incurable illnesses. As an Advanced Clinical Nurse
Specialist covering Lichfield and the surrounding
areas, Simon works with patients and their families to
make sure the right support is in place for them.
What does your role involve? “The community team is there
to care holistically for a patient and their family and carers, so
I will work with them to decide what the whole family needs.
This can range from symptom control to making sure they are
receiving the right benefits. I can also refer to other hospice
departments, whether that’s our Day Hospice, complementary
therapy or family support. I’ll work alongside GPs, hospitals,
district nurses and social care services so that everyone is kept in
the loop about what our patients need. As a team we also work
with patients in care homes and other settings, so we will work in
partnership with the staff supporting them.”
What is a normal day for you? “A typical day includes a
combination of visits and phone calls to patients and their
families, assessing and reviewing how they are doing. Sometimes
I am the first point of contact with a patient and other times they
will come to us via the GP or the hospital – usually when they
have been told that active treatment is no longer an option for
their illness. It can be hard to accept their diagnosis and it’s part
of my role to encourage people to have conversations about the
care needs they may have in the future and the choices they may
need to make.”
How does the community team help patients and their families?
“I think a great deal of our work is about trying to help people live
as normal a life as possible for as long as they can. Finding out you
have an illness that is potentially incurable can be devastating. I’m
there to provide emotional as well as practical support and to take
away some of the pain, whether physical or mental.”
Can you tell us what you value most in what you do? “I think
the care people receive when they are coming to the end of their
life stays in the minds and hearts of their families for a long time,
whether they are good or bad memories. I want to help people have
the best possible care and support that they can and it’s a privilege
to be able to help people through a really difficult time in their life.”
We know that people sometimes think that a hospice is just
a building, however what we do extends beyond those walls.
More than 80% of our care is provided within the community
by people like Simon. Your support means we can help more
people living with incurable illnesses to stay in their homes
with their families, whilst still receiving our care.
“I want to help people
have the best possible
care and support”
Simon
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We’re here for you because you’re here for us