How spending time at Saint Francis Hospice will help me in my job as a paramedic

Becky is a paramedic with the London Ambulance Service. She recently spent time on the ward at Saint Francis Hospice and with the hospice’s community teams to find out more about the care and support they provide. Here Becky shares how her experience has given her a greater understanding of the palliative and end of life care available to people.

I have worked as a paramedic for nearly four years. I am based in Romford and my current role involves working as a solo responder on a Fast Response Unit, which I find very rewarding.

I see a wide range of people, including people at the end of their life and it's an area I feel very passionate about.

I have had experience referring people to Saint Francis Hospice from the community setting in my role as a paramedic, as we regularly attend people who are experiencing palliative care emergencies.

However, like many aspects of my role, we are often unable to find out what happens after we make our referral, so it was beneficial to see the outcomes of our referrals and what Saint Francis Hospice is able to offer.

During my time on the ward, I learned about how Saint Francis Hospice has a positive impact on so many aspects of a person’s care. From clinical management to social support, I was able to observe clinicians viewing the person as a whole.

I also spent a day with the Hospice at Home team, and the Hospice Community team, where I learnt more about how Saint Francis Hospice can support people in their home environments.

Throughout all of the areas I visited, I was able to observe great examples of communication with regards to end-of-life care. Having difficult conversations is a key aspect to my role as a paramedic, and it can be especially difficult with regards to end-of-life care.

The time I've spent at Saint Francis Hospice has broadened my understanding of end-of-life care, as well as increased my confidence in the area.

It has also meant that I have a better knowledge of the support the hospice can offer, which means I will have a better understanding of people who are suitable to refer to Saint Francis Hospice.

I would like to thank all of the brilliant staff, volunteers, people under the care of the hospice and their families for allowing me to visit and learn from them. It has been a privilege to be able to observe and learn from everybody at Saint Francis Hospice.