In April 2006, HRH The Princess Royal stepped out in the North Devon sunshine, on a day that would forever change how local people could receive care towards the end of their lives. Princess Anne had arrived to officially cut the ribbon at North Devon Hospice’s newest and most significant expansion of care; a Bedded Unit that could offer specialist hospice care to local people around the clock for the very first time.
20 years on, the charity is this month celebrating the difference the 7-bedded facility has made, to countless North Devon families who have found it be a sanctuary when needed most.
“I simply cannot imagine the healthcare landscape in North Devon without our Bedded Unit. It has become such an integral part of our community, having helped so many people. It is unfathomable to think of a time before it existed,” said Stephen Roberts, Chief Executive of North Devon Hospice.
Since the charity first started caring for local people affected by a life-limiting illness, way back in 1984, the service had always been community-based. “North Devon is such a vast rural area, that it made sense to use the limited nursing resources in those early days to visit patients in their own homes.” said Stephen. “That is still a huge part of the care we provide, but there was also an acute need for specialist end of life care around the clock, when pain and other symptoms became too complex to be treated at home. So when the Bedded Unit opened, it was a sea-change for local healthcare.”
Building such a specialist facility was not easy, and required an enormous community fundraising effort. The Light in the Dark appeal was launched to raise the necessary funds, and the royal opening in April 2006 capped more than four years of hard work behind the scenes to bring the vision to life.
Hannah Crawley, Team Leader of North Devon Hospice’s Bedded Unit, said it is a privilege to be there for patients and families during their hour of need. “We are so lucky to have this amazing facility, staffed by an even more amazing team, to make sure local people get the care and compassion they deserve.” she said. “Being here, providing care around the clock, is so important because it’s often in the small hours that our care is needed most. We have given countless patients and their families comfort through the night, holding their hand, providing reassurance or a listening ear, easing their pain and easing their worries. We are so proud to be marking 20 years of this special type of care, and we’d like to thank everyone in North Devon whose kind donations make it all possible.”
Katrina Fry is a part of North Devon Hospice’s care admin team, and was there on the day the Bedded Unit officially opened. “There was such a buzz, it felt like an exciting and important day,” she recalls. “The new team had already prepared and trained together for months, so when we finally opened, everything ran like clockwork.”
Twenty years on, some things have changed – fax machines and mountains of paperwork replaced by digital systems that help deliver better care – but one thing remains unchanged. “The reaction of patients and families coming to the Bedded Unit is exactly the same as it was back then,” Katrina says. “They’re astounded by the level of care, how the team goes the extra mile every single time. Even after 20 years, I still see that relief on people’s faces, knowing this is somewhere they feel safe and comfortable.”
She added, “Very early on I knew this was an amazing place. It has always been the people who’ve made the hospice special, and I’m still so proud of the difference we make to people’s lives when it matters most.”
The Bedded Unit provides care when symptoms or pain are most severe, with a specialist team of doctors, nurses, nurse associates and healthcare assistants who can bring comfort and dignity when it matters most. Many people have their symptoms controlled, and are able to continue their journey with hospice support at home. Those who do spend their final days on the Bedded Unit are able do so in peace, with their loved ones nearby, and with all the dignity they deserve.
Stephen Roberts added, “As a local charity who relies on the kindness of our community, none of this vital care would be possible without the amazing support of North Devon. Thank you to everyone who has helped provide such vital care round-the-clock care over the last 20 years. With your continued generosity, we look forward to doing the same thing for at least another 20 years – because your life is a story, and the ending matters.”
To support the work of North Devon Hospice visit: northdevonhospice.org.uk
