Farleigh's Director of Care sets out her vision

I began my 30-year nursing career in the NHS in 1991, completing my degree in nursing in 1994. I worked as a registered nurse in several acute and community trusts within Essex including Broomfield Hospital. My journey into palliative care started in 2000 when I worked as a Children’s Community Nurse in Harlow before moving to Provide in 2005.

I completed my MSc in Healthcare Leadership in 2016. My decision to move out of the NHS was influenced by a personal bereavement experience. In 2017, my dad died in a busy city hospital. When I received the call to say he was in his last days of life, I didn’t have any fears about going to see him in hospital.

What I found was not what I expected to see: a proud military man, he was frail and weak in a bed in a white clinical room. His name wasn’t on the board, there were none of his belongings and his glasses and drink were out of reach. My NHS colleagues met his basic needs - he wasn’t in pain and his physical symptoms were managed. What was missing for me was that no one knew who he was or what mattered to him or his family. I was left desperately saddened and wanting to change this experience for other families.

This is what led me to the hospice movement as Director of Care at another local Hospice. The philosophy is what drives me – that you matter because you are you and we will do all we can to support you to live well and die well.

I am passionate about high quality care, and the best experience for patients and families, through listening and responding to changing needs and developing high performing teams.I live in mid Essex and I am excited to join Farleigh because I’ve seen the many ways that this hospice has had a valuable, positive impact in my local community.

Through our new Strategic Plan, we will continue to provide this outstanding care as we innovate, inspire and invest.I am inspired by how quickly this charity responded during the Covid pandemic to ensure that it could care for so many more people dying at home. Locality teams were created which are multi-disciplinary and work in geographical areas, which is an innovative and truly holistic way of working.

As a patient or family member, you are supported by the right person at the right time, whether that is for a physical symptom or an emotional, spiritual or practical need. Nurses, carers, physiotherapists and family support workers are all working in one team so you meet familiar staff who know what matters to you.

Another example of Farleigh’s innovative working is the creation of virtual nursing posts which has been recognised nationally as an inventive way to tackle workforce challenges. It is my vision that we continue to deliver Farleigh’s highly specialist care to more people in their own homes, and in our Inpatient Unit.

I will invest in our workforce to ensure that our staff are well-trained, competent, compassionate leaders in their field, and I will support my teams as we develop services in line with patient and family feedback, building a strong local presence.

Every person facing the end of their life can continue to expect the higheststandard of wrap around palliative and supportive care that meets their needs from Farleigh Hospice.

Ellie Miller