People Marie Curie
Marie Curie Cancer Care’s newspaper for staff and volunteers
NOVEMBER 2013
reducing our carbon footprint
star volunteers on SHOP FLOOR
chaplaincy Challenge
PAGE 9
PAGES 10-11
PAGE 14
Marie Curie’s buildings are being evaluated for emissions and energy use
A day in the life of the Acocks Green Marie Curie Shop
Rev Marlene Taylor explains Marie Curie’s approach to spiritual care
BIll amendment is a policy success New legislation giving patients quicker access to social care will help more people die in their place of choice People with terminal illnesses will find it easier to access social care, thanks to a recent amendment to the new Care Bill – a lobbying success for Marie Curie and Help the Hospices. At a House of Lords debate in October, the government agreed to include an amendment in the bill giving local authorities the power to fast-track access to social care for people who are at the end of their lives. The legislation is now in its final stages and should pass through the House of Commons in early 2014. Imelda Redmond, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, said: “Marie Curie welcomes this much-needed change to the social care system, which is the result of months of campaigning. It will make a huge difference to terminally ill people and their families.”
SOCIAL CARE ACCESS Social care can be the deciding factor in whether a patient is able to die in their place of choice. For most people, this will be in their home or care home, or in a hospice. Timely access to social care means patients are less likely to suffer emergency admissions and die in hospital. Under the current system, terminally ill people have to go through a lengthy assessment process, including a means test,
What is the Care Bill? The Care Bill sets out to improve the quality of care for adults and reform the 60-year-old social care system. Its provisions include: • a cap on the costs people will have to pay for care • new rights for carers • a national eligibility threshold for care and support
before they can access the support they need. Scott Sinclair, Policy and Public Affairs Manager said: “Sadly, in the current system, terminally ill people can wait many weeks to receive social care. This causes considerable emotional distress for patients and their families. We know of patients who have died before the assessment process has been completed and of carers finding out their loved one is entitled to social care after they have passed away. “These delays play a huge role in why more than 50 per cent of us die in hospital, when the majority of people prefer to die at home.” A Nuffield Trust study of 73,000 people in the last 12 months of life found that those with access to local authority-funded social care were much less likely to use hospital care. In Torbay, where integration of the health and social care services makes it easier to access social care, the percentage of people dying in hospital is the lowest in England. This is despite the area having the highest death rate in the country.
FAST-TRACKING PATIENTS The Care Bill amendment will give local authorities the power to treat terminally ill patients as urgent cases, fast-tracking them through the assessment process and removing the need for a means test. This not only speeds up the process, but also means patients receive social care free of charge. Terminally ill patients are defined as those with less than six months to live. Scott said: “We are delighted that the government has listened to us and sees this legislation as a significant step. However, our work does not stop there. We will now be looking for ways to influence local authorities and encourage them to put a fast-track in place in their area. “After all, it is in everyone’s interests to help people stay out of hospital, and die at home, if that is their choice.”
nurses double up for bike tour Marie Curie Nurses Maureen Crowley from Dagenham and Margaret Banks from Cambridgeshire took to the roads of Cambridge and London on a tandem. They were promoting Marie Curie’s charity partnership with the 2014 Tour De France Grand Départ, which travels through Yorkshire, Cambridge and London.
2 People November 2013
News
5
THINGS YOU CAN DO THIS MONTH
1. ANSWER OUR SURVEY ABOUT OUR VALUES What’s Marie Curie all about? Why do we do what we do? What makes you get out of bed to do your bit? We’re conducting a national survey of all staff and volunteers to find out the values that make the charity tick. Tell us what you think on page 15. Also, find out more about what we’re hoping to do – and why – as Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Strategic Plan for 2014-17 (and beyond) takes shape, with exciting discussions about how the charity can develop and meet the challenges of the future. On page 4 of this issue, Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins talks about some of the ideas that are being considered. 2. FIND YOURSELF A VOLUNTEER ROLE If you need a new volunteer role for the new year, now’s the time to do something about it. Make an early New Year’s resolution for 2014 – and make sure Marie Curie benefits. For more details on how to get the best out of volunteering in the coming months, read Siân White’s contribution to our Inbox on page 18. 3. SHOW YOUR INTEREST IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE Marie Curie Nurses have been photographed at key locations in Cambridge, London and Yorkshire to publicise our partnership with 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ. Now’s your chance to get involved in raising money for Marie Curie as part of this fantastic sporting event. Register your interest on the Marie Curie website. And while you’re there, have a look at our London to Paris Cycle 2014, which ends with an opportunity to see the final day of the tour. For more details see mariecurie.org.uk/tourdefrance 4. TOUR A HOSPICE ONLINE You can visit the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast online with our new virtual tour. Check out the facilities, meet our staff and volunteers and take a look at some of the stunning works of art on the site – all without leaving your computer. Visit mariecurie.org.uk/belfasttour 5. SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT If you’ve carried out an interesting piece of research, here’s an opportunity to present it to your colleagues. The organisers of the Marie Curie Annual Palliative Care Research Conference are inviting abstracts for short presentations or posters on research in palliative and end of life care. Abstracts relevant to the challenge of palliative care in the community are more likely to be chosen for oral presentation, but submissions on any subject in palliative and end of life care are welcome. The conference is to take place at the Royal Society of Medicine on 28 March 2014. The closing date for abstracts is 6 December 2013. For more details on how to submit, visit mariecurie.org.uk/researchconference2014
People Marie Curie
Marie Curie People is the charity’s official newspaper for staff and volunteers. It is published monthly.
QUALITY DEBATE: Dr Maureen Baker, Chair-Elect of the Royal College of GPs; Dr Jane Collins, Marie Curie Chief Executive; Nick Golding, News Editor, HSJ; Thomas Cawston, Research Director, Reform; and Dr Sarah Wollaston, MP for Totnes
Conference fringe events debate choices for patients “Can giving patients choice be cost effective for the NHS?” was the question under debate at fringe events at the Labour and Conservative Party conferences. The events – staged by Marie Curie, Help the Hospices and Sue Ryder – featured challenging views, quality debate and key announcements. They followed similar debates at the Lib-Dem conference (reported here last month). At the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, Andy Burnham MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, gave an impassioned speech and responses to the audience, previewing some of his speech to the whole conference. He said that he would be announcing Labour’s intention to make social care free of charge for terminally ill people – a key campaign for Marie Curie and its partner charities. He also announced that the Labour Party will vote on a motion to merge the NHS and social care services under a single budget, in order to provide “whole person care”, which he argued would be potentially the most radical and important change to the NHS since its creation in 1948.
TOUGH DECISIONS Acknowledging that this policy would lead to some tough decisions about hospitals, particularly as it would see the home become the default setting for care rather than hospitals, he said that they were
Editor: Nick Moulton Writers: Ana Malinovic, Miriam Jones Designers: Artful Dog Publishing and Marie Curie Creative Services Repro by: Selsey Press Printed by: Mortons
decisions that nevertheless needed to be taken in order to ensure that we as a society are able to meet the demands placed upon us by the ageing population. The fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference included Dr Sarah Wollaston MP; Dr Maureen Baker, the Chair-Elect of the Royal College of GPs; Marie Curie Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins; and Thomas Cawston of think tank Reform. A member of the Health Select Committee and a former GP, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP is a strong and independent voice on health issues. She raised the point that some people are much better able to take advantage of choice than others, particularly those with high income and high education. Others, she said, might not have a computer at home to research their options, or even the money to travel to their preferred place of care. Dr Maureen Baker was not convinced that choice is always best for patients.
Choice can be what we most want from our health services. We just want doctors to do what they think is best and make us well or, at least, comfortable. THOMAS CAWSTON
Managed & distributed by: CDL Circulation: 6,500
Marie Curie People is now available online: issuu.com/mcccp/docs/marie_curie_nov
She felt, particularly in the case of diseases like cancer, that patients don’t always want choice. Rather, they want someone to work with them and guide them through their care and treatment. She also wondered if choice is a luxury we can really afford.
COMMITMENT TO CHOICE Thomas Cawston gave an overview of the coalition’s commitment to choice since the election in 2010. He noted that in the white paper to reform the NHS, choice was front and centre but has since drifted out of policy. “Like the events at the Liberal Democrat and Labour Party conference, there was no real consensus about whether giving patients choice is indeed cost effective for the NHS. It’s not a simple yes or no, partly because, as these events have shown, choice means different things to different people. Also, it can be beneficial to some people and possibly detrimental to others. “Choice can be what we most want from our health services at some points, and at others, when we are most seriously ill, we just want doctors to do what they think is best and make us well or, at least, comfortable,” he said. Later this year, Marie Curie, Help the Hospices and Sue Ryder will be publishing a report into the fringe events, which will look at the issues that arose and identify areas for future work.
MARIE CURIE PEOPLE NEEDS YOUR NEWS. Send stories to Editor Nick Moulton, Creative Services, Marie Curie Cancer Care, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP. Email nick.moulton@mariecurie.org.uk or phone me on 020 7599 7706 and I’ll draft a story from your call.
November 2013 People 3
1,000 Cyclists take on tough etape
Marie Curie celebrity supporters joined 1,000 riders on the Etape Pennines cycle challenge. Riders included former Darlington FC manager David Hodgson, former Middlesbrough footballer Steve Vickers and Great British Sewing Bee TV judge Patrick Grant. The event, in its second year, lived up to its ‘brutal but beautiful’ reputation. The 84-mile course takes in over 2,600 metres of ascent and, with high winds, it tested participants’ endurance. Immediately after the ride, Patrick tweeted: “Hate wind.
LINE-UP: 1,000 cyclists entered
84 miles Distance of the Etape Pennines cycle challenge
Hate hills. Hate bike. Etape Pennines done. I’m done too. Seven murderous hours in the saddle.” Senior Fundraising Product Manager Jenni Thompson said: “The etape ran very smoothly, although cyclists faced blustery winds. It’s definitely the hardest event of the series. The North events team provided snacks and refreshments and awarded Marie Curie kit to our highest fundraising daffodil team riders (who made up roughly 25% of those taking part). “It’s the last etape of the series, so now we’re looking forward to 2014’s events.”
FUNDRAISING GOAL: Participants included footballers David Hodgson (left) and Steve Vickers
All photos by rbcreate
4 People November 2013
Strategy ChiEf Executive’s view
Doing more for more people Marie Curie Cancer Care’s strategic plan for 2014-17 is being drawn up – and the charity has ambitious proposals for reaching many more people at the end of their lives. Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins answered Marie Curie People’s questions about the plan – what it is, how it will affect everyone, and how we can all get involved in developing it. What is the strategic plan? It’s our roadmap for the future; the thing that will guide everything we do at Marie Curie – and every decision we make – through 2014-17 and beyond. It will exist as a document, but should really be seen as a thing that lives and breathes throughout the organisation. If we’re considering starting a new service for patients, a volunteer activity or a research project, we will look at how it will take us towards the targets set out in the plan. What’s driving its direction? Above all else, the needs and wants of patients and families. And when I talk about patients and families, I don’t just mean the ones who already get Marie Curie services. We know we are currently providing great care and support to 38,000 people every year. But there are 500,000 deaths annually in the UK – and many people don’t get the care and support they need. We know this, because we’ve spent the past six months asking patients and families about their experiences of end of life care – what worked and what didn’t. And, of course, the challenge is only going to get bigger as the number of deaths each year rockets over the next 20 years with the baby boomer generation reaching old age. As the leading end of life care charity in the UK, we have to take a lead and reach out to as many patients and families as possible in the future. But surely we can’t care for them all? Well, we can’t provide home nursing or hospice care for 500,000 people – we don’t have the capacity or the budget to do so, and a lot of people don’t need that kind of care anyway. But many will need other sorts of help and support that can be delivered by Marie Curie working in partnership with other organisations, including other charities and the NHS. So what’s in the new plan? Based on the research we’ve done, a number of major themes have emerged, which include: 1) better information and support 24/7 for patients, families and carers; 2) improved training for healthcare professionals in end of life care; 3) easy-to-access informal training for carers (perhaps online) so that they can provide better care for their loved ones; and 4) significant growth in our palliative care research programme.
The needs of patients and families are driving the plan
What else? We need to support our strategy with a brand that expresses what we do now and opens up Marie Curie to every part of the community. We were founded as a cancer charity, and our existing brand reflects that history. Nowadays, we are a charity that cares for people at the end of their lives whether they have cancer, motor neurone disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or another terminal illness. Our research is focused entirely on improving end of life care, not – as it did until 2009 – on curing cancer. We are proud of our heritage, but we need to effectively communicate what we do now, and what we plan to do in the future. And what sort of shape are we in for this challenge? We’re in good shape, but there’s a lot to do, particularly in the area of technology and communications in their broadest sense. That’s why we’ve started our Better Connected programme of work, which is aimed at improving engagement with patients and carers, supporters, volunteers, the general public and with each other. Better Connected will transform the way we communicate – it’s absolutely key to the delivery of both the strategic plan and our brand transformation. In the short term, it will ensure our new information and support services are easily accessible day and night. It will also transform how we run things like the Great Daffodil Appeal. So how are we going to pay for all this? Good question. If we were able to fund everything within
As the leading end of life care charity in the UK, we have to take a lead and reach out to as many patients and families as possible in the future.
three years, we would need to find an additional £33 million. So far, we think we have identified £14 million, which we can use to further our strategy. So it may be a question of prioritising and doing some things over a longer timescale. How do I have my say? Already more than 1,000 of you have fed in directly to the development of the plan, through workshops and questionnaires. And it’s still not too late to email me with your questions and views. One thing I would like everyone to get involved with over the next few weeks is the development of our organisational values. There’s a really important questionnaire on this issue going out online and in this edition of Marie Curie People (page 15) – and I would encourage you to take part. What are the next steps? Our trustees have already agreed with the general strategic direction for the plan, and they will be discussing it in more detail, with a view to approving it, at their two-day meeting in November. I will get back to you straight afterwards with a further update. And what should I do, personally? Please make sure you keep up to date with what’s happening. There will be many opportunities to give us your feedback and get involved as we develop what we plan to do – watch this space.
FOR MORE INFORMATION You can go online to see Chief Executive Jane Collins talking about how people involved with Marie Curie – staff, volunteers, patients and carers – want the charity to develop and do more for more people. If you’ve not done so please take a few minutes to watch the video at mariecurie.org.uk/progressupdate You can email Jane at jane.collins@mariecurie.org.uk
November 2013 People 5
Care
Online gallery displays patients’ art A new online gallery is showcasing some of the work created by patients during their day therapy art classes at the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford. Nurse Manager – Day Therapy Jean Gordon said: “The online gallery is looking fantastic. The patients are very excited by it, and have provided some wonderful artwork. We still have more patients’ work to upload more and plan to add new pictures regularly. “The art lessons give people a focus away from their illness. They appreciate the camaraderie in the group, and are very supportive to one another. Our art tutor, Steve Davies, works with them to get the best out of them. “Some of the patients have never painted before. Many have their work framed, which is often a wonderful legacy for their carers and families to treasure.” The gallery was created by Digital
ART SHOWCASE: The gallery includes pieces such as Peter Sawaryn’s village scene (above) and Waterlily by Eric Slicer
Content Editor Ana Malinovic. Copies of a 2014 calendar featuring patients’ artwork are available from the hospice and Bradford Marie Curie Shops. FOR MORE INFORMATION The pictures can be viewed at mariecurie.org.uk/gallery
New role will boost flexibility of our nursing service Marie Curie Cancer Care is set to pilot a more flexible nursing role in two areas of England to help increase the charity’s responsiveness to requests for care. The charity is to engage 20 new healthcare assistants on ‘Flexi bank’ contracts – 10 in Lincolnshire and 10 across London and the south-east. The aim is to create a flexible nursing bank; Flexi bank staff will not be required to work a minimum number of hours. They will also work alongside the charity’s current ‘As and When’ staff, helping the charity to manage the peaks and troughs in demand for care. These additional staff will work across all Marie Curie services in their local areas – including Rapid Response, Planned and Multi-visit nursing services and at any Marie Curie Hospice that falls within their locality.
a flexible role Jane Graves, Senior Project Manager (Programmes), said: “This is a flexible role, designed to support our current workforce and help us fill gaps in our guaranteed services, not to work instead of our existing staff. Our rostering teams will continue to ensure that our contracted staff and ‘As and When’ staff are allocated to patients ahead of Flexi bank staff. “We expect this role will be popular with people who already have experience of providing end of life care with the appropriate clinical skills and who want flexibility in their work commitments. “They will help us improve the consistency with which we can respond to requests for our services, and make us much more dependable. At the moment, there are a significant number of requests for our services that we cannot fulfil due to the fluctuation in demand. We need to ensure that we are able to fulfil demand
for our services, while maintaining the high standard of care that we are recognised for providing.”
shift coverage Marie Curie is also working with an agency that will provide nursing for situations in which it is critical that the charity is able to cover a shift when no Marie Curie Nurses are available.
We need to ensure that we are able to fulfil demand for our services, while maintaining the high standard of care that we are recognised for providing. jane graves
“The agency will be the final layer of support, and will only be used in exceptional circumstances. This support will enable us to provide a nurse whenever one is needed – for example, where a Marie Curie Nurse is booked for a patient but falls sick at the last moment. We are working with the agency to ensure that they provide staff who meet our training, quality and regulatory requirements,” Jane said. “We do not intend to use the agency regularly, as it’s expensive. The agency is there as our back-up to help us ensure the reliability of our services by always providing nurses when they are needed.” The charity plans that both the Flexi bank of healthcare assistants and the use of agency workers who will cover shifts in an emergency will be rolled out across the UK, following the pilots. The new Flexi bank role will help Marie Curie maintain high standards of patient care
Why our service needs greater flexibility By Director of Services Caroline Hamblett The demands on our services are ever increasing because of: 1) the valuable service we provide, and 2) the increase in our ageing population and their need for end of life care services. As a charity we are now providing care to a diverse range of patients with terminal illnesses, and therefore we need to look at how we meet these growing demands. To do this, we need greater flexibility with our workforce in order for us to respond to the increasing demand for end of life care. At present, if a district nurse calls our referral centre in Pontypool, we say that we will try to get a nurse for them – and we try very hard. But if that district nurse calls an agency, they always say ‘yes’. Sometimes our nurses turn up for a shift and an agency nurse is already there. When a district nurse calls us, we need the answer to always be ‘yes’. We want to enhance our reputation and increase our reliability by always being able to provide highquality nursing staff, whenever it is requested. The introduction of Flexi bank and the occasional use of agency nursing staff will help us to achieve that.”
6 People November 2013
Fundraising
10,000 daffodils launch Titanic Quarter partnership Over 10,000 daffodil bulbs have been planted in Titanic Quarter in Belfast to help launch a new partnership between Marie Curie Cancer Care and the quarter. The partnership was launched by Janet Leitch, a Complementary Therapist at the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast. Speaking at the launch, Janet said: “I’m very proud to be associated with Marie Curie and am pleased that I have the opportunity to provide direct care to patients. “Being at the launch of the partnership between Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Titanic Quarter, with the historic link to Marie Curie and my own family links to the shipyard, is personally very encouraging. I can’t wait until next spring to see all the daffodils in bloom.” Janet’s family has a long connection with the area; her father, uncle and great uncle all worked for shipbuilders Harland & Wolff. She also has a very personal experience of Marie Curie’s services. Her husband, Ralph, died last year in the hospice where Janet still works. Residents and tenants from across Titanic Quarter joined Marie Curie volunteers and supporters to plant bulbs in memory of a loved one or as a celebration of life.
We’re quids in with Poundworld partnership Family-run discount retailer Poundworld has chosen Marie Curie as its first national charity partner. Poundworld hopes to raise a total of £100,000 by the end of 2015. Over £17,000 has been raised so far by the company across 200 stores, including Poundworld and its sister store group, Discount UK, as part of the Great Daffodil Appeal 2013. Arun Sharma, Head of Corporate and Commercial Fundraising, said: “We’re excited to have been chosen as Poundworld’s first charity partner and we look forward to working with the company to make the partnership a big success.” Chris Edwards, Managing Director at Poundworld, said: “We’re delighted to announce Marie Curie Cancer Care as our very first national charity. It’s fantastic that we are able to use our network of stores and staff to help this very worthwhile cause. We look forward to a long and continued partnership with the charity.”
IN FOR A POUND: (Back, left to right) Regional Corporate Development Manager North Brian Curran, Poundworld Managing Director Chris Edwards, Marie Curie Nurse Lydia Lepp, and Hospice Manager Elaine Hill; Chris’s mother, Alice (seated left); and Corporate Account Management Team Leader Jo Hancock
During planning for the launch event, it was discovered that Marie Curie herself was once a SS Nomadic passenger (Titanic’s tender ship, now berthed in Titanic Quarter). David Gavaghan, Titanic Quarter Limited’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to support such a worthwhile cause. We’re pleased by the numbers of residents and firms based in Titanic Quarter who have actively participated in the planting.” This year’s bulbs were sourced from John Bailey, a local supplier from Kircubbin, Co. Down, and supported by a donation from Belfast Harbour Police.
About Titanic Quarter Ltd Titanic Quarter is one of Europe’s largest urban-waterfront regeneration schemes. It occupies 185 acres, on the site where RMS Titanic was designed and built. With over 100 companies on site and 15,000 people living, working and learning in the area, the ambition is to provide homes and employment for tens of thousands of people.
ANCHORS AWAY: Marie Curie’s Janet Leitch and Titanic Quarter Limited CEO David Gavaghan launch the new partnership
10 million daffodils on their way Poundworld is the UK’s leading single-price retailer, with over 200 stores nationwide, and plans to open a further 100 over the next three years.
A total of 10 million daffodils are being shipped to the UK, as Marie Curie Cancer Care prepares to raise £7.7 million through the Great Daffodil Appeal 2014. The charity’s appeal team is aiming to set up nearly 32,800 “collector instances” (occasions on which a volunteer collects for the charity) and carry out 5,500 collections. Unmanned Marie Curie daffodil boxes are set to be placed at more than 64,000 sites, such as shops, schools, workplaces and places of worship. The appeal will also have significant direct marketing and corporate fundraising elements. Senior Fundraising Product
Manager Liz Thornton said: “This year, we are focusing more on supporting collectors and organisers, making sure they have everything they need and improving the briefing process. Our community fundraisers across the UK are looking for collection venues and making bad weather plans.” The team needs people to help with roles such as organising collections, running depots, collecting on the street and in supermarkets and distributing collection boxes. From December, people will be able to sign up as collectors online, and a major advertising campaign is set to start in January.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Fundraising Product Manager Carina Stirling, Fundraising Product Support Manager Niall Durdin and Senior Fundraising Product Manager Liz Thornton get ready for the Great Daffodil Appeal
November 2013 People 7
Fundraising
A generous donation: one shop Marie Curie Cancer Care has been given a shop in Scarborough. The charity was given the retail unit and the office space above after outlining its work in palliative care research. The solicitor for the building’s owners wrote to five charities with an involvement in cancer. Individual Giving Manager (Legacies) Dan Carter said: “We received an email inviting Marie Curie to apply for the gift of a shop, and asking us to outline our research. We established that we would be free to sell the shop if that was most beneficial to us, and responded with a letter giving details of our palliative care research, making clear that it was to help people with any terminal illness. “We were delighted to get a letter back saying that the solicitor’s clients would like to give us the shop. It’s a very generous gift, and we are grateful to the donors.” Estates Surveyor Victoria Rea said: “While it’s not suitable for use as a Marie Curie Shop – the ground floor is too small – it has potential for a new owner. We are selling it as a development site, right on the edge of a prime pedestrian zone.” The shop is now on the market, with an asking price of £200,000.
A SURPRISE IN STORE: The shop and offices donated to Marie Curie
ALAN BARROW Alan Barrow, Marie Curie’s former Homes Officer and Appeals Officer, has died, aged 86. Alan joined the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation in 1962, and remained with the charity until his retirement in 1982. Marie Curie People will be running a full obituary next month. Readers with memories of Alan that they would like to share are invited to call the editor on 020 7599 7706. GOLF DAY An annual golf day run by Midhurst and Petworth Rotarians, in Sussex, raised £4,000 for Marie Curie. Marie Curie Patron Daphne Hanbury was delighted to attend a Rotary Club dinner to receive the cheque. CAMEL CYCLE A record 39 cyclists from all over Cornwall took part in Marie Curie’s 15th annual Camel Trail Bike Ride, organised by Bodmin Fundraising Group. Riders raised a total of £2,265. The ride was started by Bodmin’s Mayor, Councillor Ken Stubbs. All riders received a certificate of completion and the thanks of organisers for their efforts.
Wines auctioned to fund services Fine wines and fabulous lots went under the hammer at Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Great Wine Dinner and Auction. The event, which raised a total of £125,450, was held at Brooks’s Club, London. Special Events Fundraiser Susan Bossier (pictured left) said: “It went very well – we had 85 guests and enthusiastic bidding for some fantastic lots. All the lots were generously donated. And the excellent wines served were a kind gift from Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who also donated an overnight stay at Château Smith Haut Lafitte.” Vice Chairman of Marie Curie Cancer Care Tony Doggart was Chairman of the Great Wine Dinner and Auction. Adrian Biddell, Senior Director at Sotheby’s, was auctioneer for the evening.
SOLD!
The top-priced wine lot at the auction was a case of Bâtard Montrachet 2003, which sold for £2,500. Other lots included:
£10,000
Private dinner with wine writer Hugh Johnson at the Garrick Club
£5,000 Visit to the BBC Today studio and lunch at Le Gavroche
£10,000 Scottish salmon fishing experience
Great Scots in celebrity fundraising quiz in the evening, so it felt very special.” A record 270 supporters from businesses As well as the usual music, sport and across the Glasgow area enjoyed a stargeneral knowledge rounds, there was studded evening at the seventh Marie a special Doctor Who round to Curie Glasgow Brain Game. celebrate the TV show’s 50th Celtic Manager Neil anniversary later this year. Lennon, Britain’s Got Owner and Managing Talent star Edward Director of McTear’s Reid and TV sports Which Doctor Who Auctioneers Brian presenter Roddy Forsyth monsters were voted Clements raised £12,000 presented rounds at most popular in a Radio selling lots ranging from the quiz, which was Times poll in 2012? a Jack Vettriano print to hosted by TV presenter (Answer below right) One Direction tickets. Cat Cubie at Kelvingrove The winning team was Museum. In total, the night from Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms raised £50,000 – 25% up on cabaret club, with teams from STV and last year. Harper Macleod LLP coming second and Corporate Development Manager Paul third. Other teams taking part included Cockram said: “It was a great evening. Deutsche Bank, Hamilton Park Racecourse, Kelvingrove Museum is not usually open
NEWS IN BRIEF
Who’s who?
KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, RBS Private Clients Group, STV and Thales UK. Photos were taken by Rich Dyson, of Trixta.
CELTIC SUPPORT: Marie Curie Nurse Lorna McGarry with Neil Lennon and his son, Gallagher
50-year anniversary donation A Penarth couple celebrated 50 years of marriage by raising more than £1,000 for Marie Curie. Mike and Pat Barnett marked their golden wedding anniversary at the Marriott Hotel, Cardiff, with 130 others. But rather than presents, they asked for donations to the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale. Fair result Marie Curie and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution each received half of the £21,000 profit raised by Forde Abbey summer fair in Dorset. Representatives of the two charities met with Forde Abbey owners Julian and Alice Kennard to receive their cheques in the presence of another gigantic success, the biggest pumpkin ever grown at the abbey, weighing in at 280 kilos. Remembering Jazz A charity music festival in memory of a much loved Cambridgeshire musician has so far raised more than £5,500 for Marie Curie and two national cancer charities. Family, friends and fans of Wisbech musician and guitar teacher Michael “Jazz” Ball who died of cancer in February 2012, organised the festival as a tribute to him. The festival, at Wisbech Town Football Club, attracted a sell out crowd of 500 people. Seven bands played on the day including the Jazz Ball All Stars, who offered a journey through Jazz’s life as a musician and the bands he played in.
Who’s who? answer: The weeping angels.
8 People November 2013
Research
WHAT IS Palliative care?
Researchers have discovered that one in five people do not understand the term ‘palliative care’.
Almost a fifth of people surveyed in Northern Ireland do not understand what palliative care is. That was the finding of new research completed by the Northern Ireland Palliative Care Research Forum, including two Marie Curie researchers. The Awareness and public perceptions of palliative care research was led by Dr Sonja McIlfatrick from University of Ulster and the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care, and coauthored by Hospice Research Facilitator Dr Noleen McCorry and Researcher Dr Lesley Rutherford from the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast, among others. It was based on 600 responses to a survey of members of the Patient and Client Council for Northern Ireland aged over 17. The researchers also conducted telephone interviews with 50 people who had responded to the initial survey. Noleen said: “The research looked at people’s knowledge of palliative care provision, perceived barriers to palliative care promotion, and why there appears to be a lack of awareness. We found that most people had heard of the term ‘palliative care’, but further enquiry found that they didn’t have much understanding of what it involves. Stereotypes persisted – for example, that it’s for people who are imminently dying, that it’s only for people with cancer, and that it’s only available in urban areas.
Palliative care: five key facts • Palliative care helps all those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. • It includes management of pain and other symptoms, and provision of psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and practical support. • A personal care plan is an important part of palliative care and people have the right to determine where they wish to receive care and where they wish to die. • Palliative care is about supporting everyone involved in a person’s life, such as family, friends and carers. • Support can be provided as and when required over a long period of time, or more intensively as someone approaches the last weeks, days and hours of their lives.
Respondents welcomed the opportunity to “It is not surprising that people who talk openly about death and dying – but had experience of a family member perceived that others would not.” receiving palliative care, or who worked The Patient and Client Council within a healthcare environment, for Northern Ireland provides an knew more – but it is important independent voice for patients, that awareness is promoted clients, carers and communities outside of these contexts, so Number of responses on health and social care. The that individuals and families to the survey that researchers noted that the people are prepared and are aware of has informed the surveyed (members of this available services when the need research into public council) were perhaps not entirely for palliative care arises. awareness representative of the wider public, and “The people surveyed attributed the true picture of public awareness may this lack of knowledge to a wider be even lower than data suggests. public reticence about talking about death “While it is a large database, people and dying, not just in the healthcare on it are likely to have more knowledge system, but more widely in life.
600
of healthcare than the general public,” said Noleen. “There is no danger that this research over-estimates the problem of poor knowledge and awareness.” Lesley said: “It was important to undertake the research because to date there has been no published survey of attitudes towards palliative care in the Northern Ireland population. The views and experiences of participants will help inform the future direction and resourcing of palliative and end of life care services. Raising awareness of palliative care among the general population will help empower people to make informed choices and to gain access to appropriate services.”
Better quality-of-life measurement needed for people with advanced dementia Researchers at the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at University College London have highlighted how current ways of measuring quality of life are inadequate for use with people with advanced dementia. The researchers are calling for new ways to demonstrate the value of care at the end of life. The study, A framework for understanding quality of life in individuals without capacity, is one of the first to address the need for new ways of understanding quality of life in patients who have conditions such as advanced dementia, and who lack the capacity to evaluate their own well-being.I
Near the end of life, the typical measures of successful care do not apply as people are getting sicker. DR LOUISE JONES
Current methods of measuring either physical function or capability to do things are not suitable for patients with dementia. For example, it may not be possible for them to answer questions that involve subjective measures of functioning, such as freedom from pain, or feelings of anxiety and depression. Dr Louise Jones, co-author of the research from Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at UCL, said: “Current models that demonstrate the value of treatment and care are difficult to apply to care received by people with limited capacity. This is because near the end of life the typical measures of successful care – improving health, extending disease-free life – do not apply, as by definition people are getting sicker and death is coming. “The problem that remains could be described as the ‘caring problem’ – how to measure and value treatment where the aim is to provide care for people such as those with advanced dementia for whom significant improvement is not possible.
“Capability-based assessments, which assume people are able to undertake the tasks they choose, are also not appropriate for people with severe dementia because they have little independence, and are unable to make informed decisions about themselves or their care.”
New tools and assessments Researchers are calling for new ways of measuring quality of life to be developed. Their suggestions include: • Tools for measuring quality of life should relate directly to the individual, and should look at how to better measure the care and compassion needed for patients with advanced dementia at the end of life. • Objective assessments: as people with advanced dementia are unable to complete a self-completion questionnaire, any assessment of their health should be based on criteria that can be assessed objectively.
Jeff Round, co-author and health economic researcher, said: “It is important that the resources available for healthcare are allocated in a way that is fair to all. It is our belief that the current tools disadvantage people with limited capacity. We are arguing for a new set of tools that would enable us to value the care that people receive as they approach the end of their lives; tools that are consistent with the allocation criteria used by bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Social Care Excellence. “These patients deserve to be given the same opportunity of access to healthcare resources as all other patients. Our framework would place caring at the centre of the decision-making process for a vulnerable patient group.” I
Round J, Sampson E.L & Jones L (2013). A framework for understanding quality of life in individuals without capacity. Quality of Life Research, online first 22 Aug 2013; DOI 10.1007/ s11136-013-0500-z
November 2013 People 9
Our buildings particularly through LED lighting technology, which could pay its costs back in three years. But we would not, for example, retrofit insulation into the walls.”
Transport savings
SUPEREFFICIENT: The new Marie Curie Hospice for the West Midlands (left), completed in 2012, is one of the charity’s most sustainable buildings; (above) the new Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow, was built to be sustainable
Going green is good for us How can Marie Curie Cancer Care reduce its carbon footprint and increase its sustainability, while continuing to improve its services to patients? That’s the question Head of Estates Paul Cross (right) is asking as he looks at ways in which the charity can improve its green credentials. “It’s probably true that sustainability has not been at the forefront of our thinking over the years,” Paul said. “We have a fairly old estate built to not very high sustainability specifications. Our buildings range from 60 years old to brand new. But there are things we can do to make a difference.” Top priority for Paul is evaluating current carbon emissions and sustainability at the charity’s main buildings – especially its hospices. “We don’t know which of our buildings are the most and least energy efficient,” he said. “That’s why we have commissioned a study of three hospices and Albert Embankment.
“We want to understand the level of carbon emissions from our buildings, and how we can reduce it. We have the ability to reduce carbon emissions by making physical changes and using technology. “We look at all carbon emissions arising from the building and the operations taking place in it. The fabric of a building generates a certain carbon profile (from heating, cooling, etc). Use of the building (computers, lights and so on) generates another profile. The carbon footprint for a typical building would be 70% electricity and 30% from gas heating (electricity use creates more carbon dioxide than gas, as we use the heat from gas directly).” Paul points out that an improved carbon footprint is not the only benefit of optimising a building’s environmental impact. “When you improve the environmental performance of a building, it usually makes it more comfortable to
work in. If we were to look at ventilation, insulation, heating, cooling and lighting, we’d save money and make the buildings more comfortable – which would be better for patients, families, staff and volunteers.”
cost/Benefit analysis “Any investment in sustainability needs to be subject to a careful cost/benefit analysis, as Marie Curie’s priority is to make efficient use of donations to care for patients and families. “Our shops and offices are all on leases, so unless the payback is sufficient and shorter-term than the unexpired lease, there’s no financial argument for doing expensive work on these buildings,” Paul said. “Our hospices are the only buildings that we own freehold, so it makes sense to invest more in them. That’s where we can make the biggest long-term savings and improvements in our carbon footprint. “If we extend the lease on 89 Albert Embankment by five years, there would be potential savings to be made –
£100 vouchers for new shop sites Marie Curie Cancer Care is offering a reward of £100 in M&S vouchers to any member of staff who helps find a new site for a Marie Curie Shop. The charity is expanding its high street presence, and the Estates team is appealing to colleagues for help in finding suitable units. Head of Estates Paul Cross said: “We’re after vacant sites in busy secondary parades of shops – there might be a big supermarket nearby, perhaps a post office, a newsagent and a hairdresser, but not too many other charity shops. “We need units of approximate size 950-1,500 square feet (88-139 square metres), leasehold only. “If you spot somewhere that might be suitable, please take some photos of the site and email me the
details. It might be what we’re looking for. “Our retail team has ambitious expansion targets and we are competing with other charities and commercial businesses for sites, so the more people we have out there looking, the better. “In particular, we are keen to hear about possible locations in the following areas: London; the South East of England; the Midlands and central England; and Yorkshire and the North West. “For operational reasons, the charity aims to open new shops close to where we currently have shops, so there are opportunities in other areas. These include the North East of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in reasonable proximity to existing Marie Curie Shops. If in doubt, send us an email.”
Another area where both carbon and financial savings are possible is the charity’s overall mileage. While it is likely that Marie Curie Nurses will need to use their cars to travel to patients’ homes for the foreseeable future, there is still potential for savings. “Our own fleet cars perform well in terms of low-carbon credentials, as they are new and small. The engine cuts out when you’re sat at lights, and comes on when you take your foot off the clutch. However, the best way to improve carbon emissions from our fleet is to reduce travel. We need to work on getting people to use their personal cars less and other forms of transport more.” Paul sees environmental improvements as part of the charity’s triple bottom line, along with helping patients and carers and using supporters’ donations responsibly. “We should understand our environmental impact so that we can put in measures to reduce it. A reduction in the use of scarce resources would have two benefits. One, it would mean that we were more sustainable and taking less from the planet. Second, we would reduce our running costs.”
Older building: The charity’s offices at 89 Albert Embankment, London, were built in 1961 and are poorly insulated
What to do if you find a potential shop site We are asking colleagues to photograph: • The shop front • Any notice or sign with details of who to contact about it • The shops around it, up and down the street Please send National Acquisitions Manager Kevin Brereton your photos along with the unit address, who to contact about it and a brief description of the shops around it (including the number of other charity shops). Colleagues who nominate a site that is subsequently taken up by the charity will be awarded £100 in vouchers when the lease is signed. If more than one member of staff nominates the same site the vouchers will go to the first nomination received. FOR MORE INFORMATION Email potential sites to kevin.brereton@mariecurie.org.uk
10 People November 2013
Feature REWARDING ROLE: Volunteer Lebogang Sena on the shop floor
ON-TREND: Volunteer David Fleming makes a sale. The shop’s best-selling items are ladies’ tops, along with accessories.
TAX TOP-UP: Many purchases are Gift Aided
Behind the scenes at Acocks Green A day in a Marie Curie Shop starts with a cup of tea and ends with a tidy up – with laughter and lots of work along the way. One manager describes her role.
Tracey Mitchell is Manager of the Marie Curie Shop in Acocks Green, Birmingham. She has worked for Marie Curie for three years, and as a shop manager for more than two years. I arrive at around 8.30am, put the kettle on, put the till on and check that the smoke alarm and security lights are working. Then we check that the shop floor is tidy, fill it up and take old stock off. The shop opens at 9.30am – very occasionally, there’s a customer waiting outside. I work with Assistant Manager Kirsty Lamb and a team of about 15 volunteers. They are a really good bunch, and I’m proud of them. Our volunteers are all ages – from college students looking for experience of fashion to middle-aged volunteers and ladies in their 80s. We all get on well and have a laugh. A lot of them have been touched by terminal illnesses and see Marie Curie as a worthwhile cause. Our volunteers help on the shop floor, on the till, and in the back room, sorting donations and steaming clothes. Most days, we get a steady run of donations. The volunteers are in the habit of asking if customers want to Gift Aid them,
and some are repeat Gift Aid supporters. We have a lot of regular customers – we build up a rapport with them. Our best-selling items are ladies’ tops – priced from £3. We also sell lots of accessories – shoes, handbags and jewellery. We get a lot of on-trend items in that spectrum. Wednesdays and Fridays are our busiest days. Today, we were really busy between 1pm and 2pm. But nothing is typical – that’s why we need to have a really nice shop window and merchandise our stock to catch the eye of passers-by and attract them into the shop. We aim to get all the donations sorted by the end of the day, so we can close the door at 5pm. The last customers sometimes leave a bit later. After the door’s locked, I always check the changing room – to make sure nobody’s still there. Then we do a shop tidy, see what needs filling up on the shop floor and check that the money is added up. I love working with the volunteers, making the shop look really nice and knowing I’m working for a really good cause – my dad was cared for in a hospice.”
GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Volunteer Betty Green (right) in conversation with a customer
November 2013 People 11
Feature
In numbers
183
Total number of Marie Curie Shops, as at November 2013. In 2014, the aim is to expand to more than 200
£4m
Amount Marie Curie Shops contributed to the charity’s operating profit in 2012/13
70,000
Number of customers served in Marie Curie Shops each week, thanks to the support of volunteers
12 People November 2013
Food for thought Desert island essentials
How do I… take part in a Marie Curie run?
Imagine you’re marooned on a desert island (just like on the radio show). What items would you want with you? Is there a book or film that you can’t live without? This month, Dr Peter Nightingale, the Clinical Lead for Marie Curie’s partnership with the Royal College of GPs, takes a seat under the Marie Curie People palm tree.
Tresa Gillam, Fundraising Product Manager for Events, offers a simple three-step guide to signing up for a run on behalf of Marie Curie. STEP ONE – TAKE A LOOK AT OUR RUNNING PAGE
I would take Louis Armstrong’s It’s A Wonderful World. It’s also my wife’s favourite song and it always makes me look more closely at the positive things in life.
WRITE TO US
I’ve been deliberately light-hearted, but to end on a more serious note, I read a book by Jack Spong recently that I thought had in it a fantastic motto for life: “Live life to the full, be all you can be, and love wastefully” – I really liked that.
When you have registered for your race, you can expect to receive your
FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on any of our runs, email Daffodil.team@mariecurie.org.uk or call 0845 052 4184.
I’m tempted to say a boat, but I suspect that would be cheating. If I’m not allowed that, being ginger I suspect I will need a few buckets of sunblock. I’d also like to take my new golf driver, even though I’m not a great golfer. It was a present from a grateful patient,
STEP THREE – WAIT FOR YOUR WELCOME PACK
A LUXURY ITEM
Taking on a run for Marie Curie is a great way to get fit or stay in shape while raising money so that our nurses can continue their great work.
The Bourne trilogy. I think these are excellent action movies and never tire of seeing them.
Below are the answers to the Sudoku puzzles on page 19.
Once you have chosen your race, hit ‘register now’ and fill out our online form – or you will be re-directed to our partner’s website to register directly with them.
which is always a positive thing, and even without a golf ball or course it would provide hours of fun. I had one club when I worked in Zambia 25 years ago and entertained myself hitting rotten fruit!
Sudoku solutions
A FILM
STEP TWO – REGISTER
welcome pack which will include a Nike Daffodil Team vest; training plans; and fundraising hints and tips.
FORE! THOUGHT: Dr Peter Nightingale would bring his golf club to the desert island
ON THE RUN: Tresa Gillam
How To Survive On A Desert Island. As a GP, I’m always looking things up, and in reality I would need this book to help stay alive, I think – sad but true.
A BOOK
At mariecurie.org.uk/running see which events appeal to you. Do you want to run somewhere close to you or would you like to go further afield? We partner with many runs across the UK. Don’t forget, even if a run is not listed on our website, you can still join the Daffodil Team by sending an email to Daffodil.Team@mariecurie.org.uk once you have secured your place with the race organisers.
A SONG
Do you have an idea for the Food for thought page – a recipe or advice column? Perhaps you would like to feature in our Desert island essentials section? Write to us at people@mariecurie.org.uk
Recipe of the month... Quinoa and feta cheese salad Ben Wicks, Media and Public Relations Manager, gives us his quick and easy quinoa recipe. “It’s a healthy alternative to pasta and tastes great,” he says.
“This is a great-tasting salad that doesn’t cost the earth and is really healthy,” says Ben. “Quinoa is a superfood and an excellent alternative to pasta. It is high in protein and is a good source of fibre. As a source of calcium, vegans can substitute the feta in this recipe with a vegan cheese to make it a meal on its own or a delicious side dish. “The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it’s versatile. You can add more ingredients according to what you like. Green olives make a fantastic addition, to give the salad more texture and extra flavour. You can
MARVELLOUS RECIPE: Ben Wicks and his healthy quinoa salad
also try adding the lemon zest with its juice to give the salad a really fresh taste. “There are many different ways to enjoy quinoa. It makes a lovely salad on its own and can accompany most meat and fish dishes.”
INGREDIENTS 200g of quinoa 1 red onion ½ cucumber (peeled and deseeded) 100g feta cheese 1 lemon A handful of fresh mint A handful of fresh parsley A good glug of olive oil (virgin or extra virgin, depending on preference) Salt and pepper
METHOD 1 Measure out two parts water to one part quinoa and bring it to the boil. 2 Add the quinoa and return it to the boil. 3 Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and cover. Leave covered for around 20 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. 4 In the meantime, finely chop the red onion, cucumber, mint and parsley and cube the feta. 5 For the dressing, juice the lemon and mix with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. 6 Once the quinoa has soaked up all of the water, add all of the ingredients and mix together, pouring in the dressing. 7 Taste and add extra seasoning if necessary.
IT COULD BE YOU! Are you a whizz with a wooden spoon? Could you be our chef of the month? Email your favourite recipe (along with a photo of yourself and a picture of the finished dish) to ana.malinovic@mariecurie.org.uk
November 2013 People 13
News
Pilot project paves way for care in Wales More terminally ill patients are being cared for in their place of choice in the Neath Port Talbot area of South Wales following the launch of a pilot project a year ago. The pilot – a partnership between Marie Curie and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board – was launched in July 2012. Following its success, the same model for care is now set to be introduced in Carmarthenshire, and Marie Curie is in talks with Local Health Boards across Wales about rolling it out further. There has been a 33% increase in the number of patients being cared for by Marie Curie nursing services in the Neath Port Talbot area and a 42% increase in the number of visits since the pilot project was launched. These results were presented in a report at the Policy Forum for Wales Conference in Cardiff on the next steps for end of life care.
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY: Andrew WilsonMouasher
plan and deliver patient-centred care, with assessment based on the complexity of the person’s needs and changing condition. Whether this means overnight care, urgent visits, or short periods of respite, patients and families know what to expect and can be confident that their needs are paramount. “As a result of this successful pilot project, we will now be rolling out this same model in Carmarthenshire and are working closely with the other Local Health Boards across Wales to determine the best fit palliative care service for them.”
PARTNERSHIP
Andrew Wilson-Mouasher, Marie Curie Divisional Manager for Patient Services in Wales, said: “Marie Curie has The new patient-focused service model has long campaigned to increase people’s enabled senior Marie Curie Nurses to choice of place of care and death, work in partnership with the health and we believe this collaborative board’s Community Continuing Increase in the approach with Abertawe Bro Health Care Team, district nursing number of patients Morgannwg University Health service and other healthcare being cared for by Board has resulted in better professionals so more people in outcomes for people nearing the area receive palliative nursing Marie Curie nursing the end of their lives in Neath in the comfort of their own services in the Neath Port Talbot. homes. The charity also anticipates Port Talbot area “Over the last year, we have that case load pressure of district worked closely with the Continuing nurses related to the coordination of Health Care Team and district nurses Marie Curie care has also been reduced as in Neath Port Talbot to help them a result of increased partnership working.
PATIENT-CENTRED
33%
Andy Griffiths, the health board’s Integrated Community Services Manager for Neath Port Talbot, said: “This new service has increased our patient focus and has helped us enable more terminally ill patients at the end of life to be cared for in their place of choice and reduced the need for them to be admitted to hospital for unscheduled care episodes. By working in partnership, the district nurses, the Community Continuing Health Care Team and the Marie Curie senior nurses are able to ensure that the patients with greatest needs are prioritised with care packages. “Providing high-quality day and night-time respite alongside nursing care for patients also ensures that carers and their families are able to be supported throughout this difficult time.”
New board to hear people’s views Marie Curie Cancer Care has set up a new People Board to ensure that everybody connected with the charity has a voice. The board is chaired by Director of Community Involvement Ruth Bravery and has a membership drawn from all areas of the charity. Ruth said: “Everyone I meet in the charity wants to do their best. But sometimes people feel they are not being listened to, or don’t understand changes that are taking place. Sometimes they feel they don’t have enough information to perform their role to the best of their abilities. Through the People Board, we hope that we can begin to address those doubts and concerns. If we can help our people, it will benefit people who are terminally ill.” The board was set up following feedback from Marie Curie staff and volunteers through workshops and surveys held earlier this year as part of the development of the charity’s new strategic plan.
You’re the voice: the People Board Some of the things the new board will be considering include: • providing opportunities for staff and volunteers to continue to give feedback • understanding why people don’t feel valued and looking at what can be done to address this • ensuring everyone in the charity understands the new strategic plan, and what role they play in helping to deliver it
Partnership launched at GP conference The biggest gathering of GPs and primary care health professionals in the UK was the setting for the launch of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s partnership with the Royal College of GPs (reported in previous issues of Marie Curie People). RCGP President Professor Mike Pringle announced the partnership at the college’s Annual Primary Care Conference in Harrogate. The partnership is intended to improve care for patients nearing the end of their lives, including vulnerable patients such as those with dementia and learning disabilities. The three-year programme of work will prioritise advanced care
End of life care is a critical area for GPs as it affects nearly everyone at some stage in their lives. Dr Peter nightingale
planning; patient choice of place of death; pain management; health inequalities; and commissioning issues. It is being led by Dr Peter Nightingale, who was appointed joint RCGP and Marie Curie Clinical Lead for End of Life Care earlier this year. As part of the programme, Dr Nightingale will be hosting a series of regional round-table events with key stakeholders, across the UK, from late October, to share expertise on how to best commission services and promote best practice. Dr Nightingale said: “End of life care is a critical area for GPs as it affects nearly everyone at some stage in their lives. It has been a priority for the college since 2008 and this partnership is an exciting opportunity to really make a difference to the clinical care and compassion that patients receive at the end of their lives.” Marie Curie Medical Director Dr Bill Noble (left) and RCGP and Marie Curie Clinical Lead for End of Life Care Dr Peter Nightingale at the RCGP conference
14 People November 2013
Our people
CHAPLAINCY – What’s it all about? Rev Marlene Taylor is Chaplain at the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast, where she leads spiritual and religious care, supporting patients, families and colleagues. “Spirituality is an important aspect of a patient’s life. It’s about questions regarding the meaning and purpose of life, and what’s important to individuals, especially as death approaches.” Rev Marlene Taylor is Chaplain at the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast. She leads the hospice’s spiritual and religious care for patients and families, and also supports staff. Her team offers support to those of all faiths and none – and is in constant demand. Chaplaincy operates as part of the Patient and Family Support Team. Chaplains usually work alongside social workers, as part of the hospice’s wider multidisciplinary team. “When a patient is admitted, they have a medical assessment, during which they are asked about spiritual issues,” says Marlene. “Many say that they have their own faith community and religious leader, but they would welcome input from the chaplain while in the hospice.” The overwhelming majority of patients at the Belfast hospice are from Christian denominations, with a small minority identifying themselves as non-religious or humanist. Around 10 patients per year say that they do not want contact with a Marie Curie Chaplain. The number of patients from non-Christian religious backgrounds is smaller still.
person making the link and keeping that link going during the person’s stay. I may update their faith leader if the person is nearing the end of their life, or if they have been discharged to link them with community or ongoing pastoral support.” Other patients appreciate the independence of the hospice chaplain from their own faith groups. “They may have issues of guilt that they don’t want to discuss with their own faith community or family. Their own faith leaders may have known them for a while. Sometimes people see the chaplain as a neutral person.”
Reconnecting patients
perspective
The chaplaincy team often encounters patients who are former members of faith communities, and who want to reconnect with them. “For someone who is ill, that can be a big step,” Marlene said. “I can be the
Marlene emphasises that chaplaincy at Marie Curie is never about evangelism or seeking converts. It is important that the team members – both staff and volunteers – are able to help patients and families with a completely different
HOSPICE CHAPLAIN: Rev Marlene Taylor
perspective from their own, including those who do not have a religious faith. “In the case of someone who is atheist or humanist, I would ask what gives them purpose in their lives and where they find a sense of meaning – it’s a person-centred approach. People respond to that, as they can see that we’re not asking what church they belong to, we’re asking appropriate questions and travelling with them on their journey,” Marlene said. “I respect other people’s opinions when they differ from what I believe, and form strong relationships. It’s about meeting people where they are at that moment in time.” The chaplaincy team works closely with the other hospice healthcare professionals, and there are some elements of overlap in their roles. But there are other areas in which the chaplain is clearly the best person to support a patient. “I find that prayer is very important for patients,” Marlene said. “People who are very ill can find prayer difficult. Even putting their thoughts into words can be difficult, and medication can make them sleepy. They are glad of someone who can verbalise their worries, concerns and what they hope for. “Some months ago, a very ill patient asked me to pray specifically for his brother with whom he had a broken relationship. This was very important to the patient and to recognise the family situation before death. The patient was able to say to me, ‘Thank you very much for that’ and as a chaplain I was able to facilitate that spiritual need in his life. These are the things that touch you deeply.”
bereavement SUPPORT
Tony completes end-to-end solo cycle A Marie Curie supporter has finished Britain’s longest cycle route in just 11 days, unsupported. Tony Wysocki rode from John O’Groats to Land’s End, accompanied only by his trusty bike and his determination to raise as much money as possible for Marie Curie. The charity supported his family when his mother was ill in 2012. “It’s always been my ambition to ride ‘end to end’, and I started planning about 18 months ago,” said Tony, a member of 849 Naval Air Squadron who works on the Sea King MK 7 simulator at RNAS Culdrose. The trip got off to a smooth start, but
before he left Scotland, Tony had the toughest day of his ride, with an overthe-handlebars crash on a muddy cycle path. Fortunately a friendly bike shop soon had him back on the road. On his 11th day in the saddle, Tony was joined by colleague Andy Hodge, and arrived at Land’s End where his family were waiting. Tony said “We arrived on time and with fine weather. Hundreds of tourists were treated to a surprise flypast by a Mk 7 Sea King. It was such a great relief to finish but quite sad it had ended.” Tony raised more than £1,400 for Marie Curie.
Marlene also works with the hospice’s bereavement support service, seeing people one-to-one and facilitating bereavement meetings. “We look at whether they have accepted the reality of their loss, their struggles and their feelings of grief – are
End of the road: Tony celebrates the end of his cycle ride at Land’s End
About the chaplaincy team Marlene has been Chaplain at Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast for seven years. She is an ordained Minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and works closely with religious leaders and support networks from all denominations and faiths across Belfast and the surrounding area – meaning that patients can get support specific to their own faith. Marlene is supported by a retired Catholic priest, Father Sean McCartney, who helps out in the hospice when needed and attends to the religious needs of the patients associated with his faith community. The team has two volunteer chaplains, Rev Karen Spence and Rev Norman Harrison, who assist in giving spiritual care to patients and families. Currently, Marlene is in the process of setting up an information day about the hospice for leaders in the religious communities across Belfast. Marlene is on the executive of the Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains and is an executive member of the Northern Ireland Healthcare Chaplains Association.
they fading now?” said Marlene. “We look at what they are doing differently from what they did before. What are they doing to fill their time? How can they reinvest new energy into life and live with the memory of that person and that spirit moving on? “The issues we look at can include multiple losses – different losses through life.” Marlene finds her work fulfilling, but it can also be emotionally exhausting. “After some conversations, I have to go and do something mundane on my computer before seeing someone else,” she said. “It’s a bit of self-care.”
Tony’s challenge Time: 11 days Distance: 871 miles Total climb: 47,167 feet Snickers bars: 40 Funds raised: £1,400 (so far)
November 2013 People 15
Survey
EY RV SU
u S o U y L k L at E T h n w hi
t
The survey Please let us know where you are based and the type of work you do for Marie Curie. In which of the four nations are you based? England Northern Ireland Scotland
Internal Communications Manager Melanie Bond writes: Following on from the work earlier in the year around developing our Marie Curie strategy – during which we received great feedback on how to improve end of life care – we would now like you to help us again. This time, we are asking you to think about how we talk about ourselves at Marie Curie. You – our staff and volunteers – are experienced in understanding how we are seen outside the organisation and so your feedback on the words we use is very important. We are looking at the words we use which identify us as Marie Curie and tell people what our values are. Our values are what identify us, they are what unite us as Marie Curie. They are the words we will use when we talk about who we are, the values we live up to. Examples of where we could use our values include: • job descriptions, when we recruit new people, so that they know the values we all follow at Marie Curie • our PPRDs (regular appraisals) so that we can all make sure we are working according to our values. And that’s why your feedback is so important, the values must mean something to all of us – staff and volunteers – and they must be achievable.
Please help us As part of this work, we are running a survey to ask what you think. If you do not have a Marie Curie email address or cannot access our intranet then:
If you’re a staff member, which is your main or only role? Fundraising Direct care Shop work Office-based work Other supporting work not covered by the above
• please complete the survey below, cut it out and post it back to us • or, if you have internet access, go to mariecurie.org.uk/surveyonvalues and complete it online Below is some information about the survey: • You only need to complete it once (online or by using the survey below). • The survey is anonymous. We’re not asking for any information which identifies you personally. • The deadline for completing the postal survey or internet version is 19 November 2013.
What happens next? When the survey period is finished, we will run some workshops with staff and volunteers to test what we think the values might be. The workshops will be open to any staff member or volunteer who would like to join in. Thank you for helping us. Please cut out the survey below and post it to:
Melanie Bond Internal Communications Manager Marie Curie Cancer Care 89 Albert Embankment London SE1 7TP
2. Please give us a short sentence which sums up what makes Marie Curie distinctive. By that we mean what you think is different about Marie Curie compared with other charities and organisations.
Wales
Are you a member of staff? Yes No If you’re a member of staff: Are you a senior manager (includes directors and HODs)? Yes No Do you have line manager responsibilities (for staff and/ or volunteers)? Yes No Are you a volunteer? Yes No Do you work directly with patients and/or families? Yes No
3. In one sentence, what gives you personally the most fulfilment in working for or with Marie Curie If you said you’re a volunteer, where do you volunteer? In a shop In or from a hospice In an office In my local community Please answer the four questions below to help us understand how you talk about Marie Curie and what’s important to you. 1. Please write five or six words (individual words, not a sentence) which describe what it is about Marie Curie that makes you feel proud to be involved.
4. What would you like to see as the future values of our charity? For example, in five years’ time what words would you like to be able to use to describe our charity? Please use four or five separate words.
16 People November 2013
Colleagues
New LOOK FOR CHARITY’S pay slips Pension Automatic Enrolment – we’ve done it Pensions and Remuneration Manager Dennise Feltham talks about the need for future planning and where you can get information about your pension. Marie Curie Cancer Care automatically enrolled around 1,500 employees into a pension scheme for the first time during September 2013. Getting more employees to save for their retirement is good news, but the real challenge over the coming years is to increase pension engagement and understanding. Pensions can be difficult to understand because there are so many unknown factors. Are you paying enough? Are your investments growing sufficiently? What type of pension annuity is best? Where can you get help?
Is it important to plan your future retirement plans? For most of us, this is an easy question to answer, hopefully with a “yes”. There are 8,760 hours in a year, so why not spend three or four of these each year planning and reviewing your pension arrangements?
Where can you get help? When we selected our pension provider, Scottish Widows, one of the key considerations was its ability to help employees find out more about their pensions. That said, it is important that all employees are proactive when it comes to their pensions and look at the material made available.
Website – tools and information We have a website: scottishwidows.co.uk/mccc/ It’s designed to help you learn more about pensions and investments. Members can view their pension fund value, manage investments and see what income they might receive at retirement.
Paper Each pension member has been sent numerous communications by Scottish Widows, and these provide a huge amount of information regarding the pension scheme. Each year, Scottish Widows will also issue an annual pension statement to help employees keep track of their retirement plans.
Talk to someone Call Scottish Widows on 08457 556 557 for specific questions about your pension or contact the Pensions and Remunerations team at Marie Curie Cancer Care for some hands-on support. Our adviser’s research shows that speaking to someone is still the most popular way to find out more about pensions, even for younger generations. Our role is to help educate and empower employees to make their own informed decisions.
Marie Curie Cancer Care is using new software to pay its employees – so the appearance of the charity’s payslips has changed. Here’s a quick guide to the new-look payslips – they show the same information as before, but it’s presented differently.
Your contact address will be here. If your payslip is delivered to this, or an alternative contact address, this will be displayed here. If it is incorrect, please inform your manager.
Figures are given for this period and year to date for this tax year, from period 1.
Statutory deductions here, with taxable and NI’able pay.
Personal data will be shown here.
Pension deductions will be here, with pensionable pay.
Pay-related rules information is held here.
Any payments will be here, including taxable and non-taxable (marked * on payslip) items. The total appears below. Salary sacrifice payments, pension deductions, will be here. Only payments that are taxable will be included in the Statutory Details taxable pay figure above.
Any deductions, statutory and nonstatutory, will be here. The total appears below.
Any advisory messages will be shown here.
Amount sent to your bank account. Payments total less deductions total.
Why hospice care must be accessible to all communities Shameem Nawaz is a Community Development Officer at the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale. My role was created because very few people from ethnic minorities were using the hospice’s services. This was a concern because we’re based near an area that is home to a number of different groups: Somali, Pakistani, Indian and Chinese, as well as sizeable Afro-Caribbean and Arabic communities. I create links with these communities, reduce barriers to them using our services and offer patient CREATING COMMUNITY LINKS: Shameem Nawaz
support. For example, I hold discussion groups with people from different communities to understand why they haven’t been coming to the hospice. One main theme is a lack of knowledge. We invite people to look around the hospice, meet staff and see what we offer. Some people are anxious about whether we can accommodate their religious, cultural and language needs; we have our own chef catering for different dietary needs and a quiet room that people of different faiths can use for prayer. Language is another issue. People for whom English is a second language might not know what terms like ‘palliative care’ mean, or the difference between ‘hospice’ and ‘hospital’. They need to be carefully translated.
There are also barriers within the healthcare system. GPs don’t always refer people from minority ethnic groups. I’ve been talking to GPs and other healthcare professionals and explaining we are relevant for all communities. It’s a common misconception that people from other cultures care for sick and elderly relatives at home. Things have changed. People don’t always live in the same city or country as their close relatives. There is also financial pressure on both partners to work, making it less likely someone is able to stay home and care for sick family members. It’s up to us to make sure people know we are here for them, regardless of their ethnicity.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on Marie Curie’s approach to diversity, visit mariecurie.org.uk/diversity
November 2013 People 17
News
Dame Lorna is named Liverpool hospice patron Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE, the LordLieutenant of Merseyside, has been appointed Patron for the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool. To mark the start of her new role as Patron, Dame Lorna met patients, volunteers and staff at the hospice. During her visit, Dame Lorna presented a bouquet of flowers to volunteer Pat Killoran for her dedicated service to the hospice over the last 12-and-a-half years. Dame Lorna, herself a nurse and midwife, expressed her delight at being able to support the Marie Curie Hospice. Diane Barker, Hospice Manager at the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool, said: “Dame Lorna’s commitment to Merseyside over many years made her a natural choice for patron of the hospice. With her help, we hope to continue to raise awareness and the funds needed to enable our hospice to provide its essential
services to patients and their families free of charge.” Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside in 2006. For most of her working life, Dame Lorna was a clinical midwife, first at the Liverpool Maternity Hospital, Oxford Street, and latterly at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Her passion was the care of women giving birth. During almost 40 years, she delivered thousands of Liverpool’s babies.
Dame Lorna’s commitment to Merseyside over many years made her a natural choice for patron of the hospice. Diane barker
COMMITMENT (left to right): New Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool Patron Dame Lorna Muirhead, volunteer Pat Killoran, Hospice Manager Diane Barker and Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins
Northern Ireland’s Vera receives MBE honour for nursing services Marie Curie Senior Healthcare Assistant Vera Kelso from the Belfast team has been presented with the MBE at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty The Queen. Vera received the honour for services to nursing in Northern Ireland. “Getting the MBE was absolutely fantastic – a truly wonderful experience,” she said. “It was just so special for everyone there. It was the icing on the cake of my nursing career.
“Now, working for Marie Curie is my midwife in 1975. She retired in chance to give something back. I find May 2012 after 42 years in it the most fulfilling thing to do. the profession, latterly as “I’m using the skills that Lead Midwife for community Number of people I learned at the beginning – the midwifery in the Southern recommended to the care and compassion. Just to be Health and Social Services able to put them into practice in Queen for an award in Trust. this role to support families is a Since September 2012, she the New Year Honours privilege.” has been working as a Senior List 2013 Vera qualified as a Registered Healthcare Assistant in the General Nurse in 1973, and as a Southern area of Northern Ireland.
1,223
Working for Marie Curie is my chance to give something back. I find it the most fulfilling thing I do. Vera kelso
FAMILY OCCASION: Vera was accompanied to the presentation by her husband and family; (left) meeting the Queen
Palliative care survey launching Marie Curie is set to survey its caring services staff about palliative care research questions that they believe need to be answered. The survey – in electronic and paper format – is set to take place in November and December. It will help the charity form its strategic priorities for palliative care research and is part of the charity’s partnership with the James Lind Alliance. The charity is currently carrying out a pilot of the survey, with the help of a representative group of healthcare professionals and its Expert Voices group of volunteers who have experience of caring for someone with a terminal illness. Marie Curie’s Head of Research, Dr Sabine Best, said: “We want to set research priorities that will improve the lives of patients, families and carers – and influence the wider field of palliative care research.” The James Lind Alliance is a notfor-profit initiative that helps other organisations to set their research priorities based on the experiences of the people who use their services and clinicians. The joint project will run for 18 months, with a budget of £70,000.
18 People November 2013
Inbox TOP TWEETS
Here is a selection of the top tweets from the past few weeks. Follow us on @mariecurieuk or tweet using #mariecurieuk Ruth Bourke @Roodie87
My first ever @LondonMarathon ballot place is going to @mariecurieuk! Very excited & honoured to be part of the #daffodilteam :) @NoelStylesx
@mariecurieuk thank you for everything you did for my Granny in her last months. It’s five years today and you’ve definitely helped us x Katie Walmsley @warmo
@mariecurieuk so proud to work for Marie Curie West Midlands as a nurse, without doubt the best job ever :) x
Patrick Grant @paddygrant
Hate wind. Hate bike. @mariecurieuk Etape Pennine done. I’m done too. Seven murderous hours in the saddle.
Mamfa @MamfaMakes
Another night of help from a wonderful @mariecurieuk nurse. She really cared for Nan, holding her hand, rubbing her tummy. Thank you.
Patricia De Beer @Patricia_DeBeer
@mariecurieuk The joy of working as a volunteer in a charity shop is unmatchable. I would highly recommend it!
FACEBOOK FRIENDS
Followers on Facebook are speaking out about the valuable support from Marie Curie. Follow us at facebook.com/MarieCurieUK Heidi Humphries My dad was fast tracked within 6 hours after being told he was terminally ill. Our Marie Curie Nurse started the next day. She was a total angel. The service provided from the Gt Yarmouth and Waveney trust could not be faulted. Kath Lawson Marie Curie, what a brilliant bunch of people... respect. Darren Pendlebery A huge round of applause and much credit to these people who make so many people’s lives bearable albeit sometimes for a short while. Kudos to all of you. Sharon Hibbitts My daughter passed away over 6 years ago. I just wanted to let you know I will never forgot what you did for her final days. Your staff are all amazing. xxxx
Inbox
Inbox is Marie Curie People’s forum for your letters and emails. If you’ve a brilliant idea or a question about our work – or if something is bugging you – email mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
MAKE IT A HAPPY NEW VOLUNTEER Think it’s too early to be considering New Year’s resolutions? Think again. Every year, our volunteering team experiences a peak of volunteer recruitment in January, reflecting that well known impulse to try something new and make a difference in the months to come. Last year in December, our volunteer centre received 382 enquiries from interested potential volunteers, followed by a spike up to 1,157 enquiries in January 2013. Our wonderful volunteers are involved across all areas of the charity, from raising funds in the community, spreading awareness in the local area, serving customers in our shops, supporting patients in our hospices and at home, to working in our offices. If you have thought about involving volunteers in your team, whether for an ongoing opportunity or a short-term project, and want to take full advantage of this peak in interest in January, then the volunteering team can help you. The recruitment process can take around three months from role development to the volunteer’s start date, so it is a good idea to start thinking about your recruitment needs now. Just follow these easy steps to involving some exceptional volunteers in your team: 1. Look through the volunteering resources in the Intranet Documents Libraries. There you will find a 10-step guide to recruiting a volunteer. 2. If you have an existing role you
Start thinking about your recruitment needs today and we can help you have some volunteers on board in the new year.
Siân White Volunteer Engagement Officer
moved by MARIE CURIE Every day document
WONDERFUL SUPPORT: Volunteers, like Sue Sutherland at the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh, can help your team
would like filled, get in touch with the Volunteer Centre who can help you recruit a volunteer. Send them an email at volunteering@mariecurie.org.uk 3. If you have a brand new, never-seenbefore opportunity that you think could make that all-important difference to your team, then get in touch with one of our National Volunteering Managers. They can help you develop the perfect role description ready for promotion. Drop them a line at clair.bryan@mariecurie.org.uk (North) and linsey.winter@mariecurie.org.uk (South).
I wanted to say what a powerful document Marie Curie Every Day is. I was crying by the end of it! The combination of the visuals with the video and statistics makes it all so incredibly real, and shows what wonderful people we have supporting the charity. I’ve only been working for Marie Curie for six weeks, and despite my own Grandad having Marie Curie Nurses so that he could die at home, it’s still so easy to lose sight of what great work the charity does when you work in the ‘back office’. Well done team. I hope it makes lots more people aware of the charity’s purpose and they click on the ‘donate’ button straight away!
Julia Newell Senior Process Analyst You can read the document at mariecurie.org.uk/everyday
CARING SERVICES
New area of the organisation to focus on professional standards Dee Sissons, Director of Nursing, reveals exciting new developments in the Directorate of Nursing – a new team that will strengthen Marie Curie’s clinical leadership I have been in post for three months now, and during that time I have been fortunate to meet and work alongside many of our staff. It’s been fantastic getting to know the different teams and directorates that make up Marie Curie. Seeing the challenges you all face and your enthusiasm for making a difference at the end of life has left me feeling humbled, privileged and honoured to be working here. I’m excited to tell you that it will be a new year and a new team for me, with two new members: • the Assistant Director of Nursing, who will work with me to build on the great care we already deliver • the Professional Lead, who will be the voice for all non-medical staff delivering patient care.
WRITE TO US
Having a new team focusing on professional standards and supporting staff will lead to even better care for our patients and their families. As the new Director of Nursing, I am really looking forward to building a new area of the organisation and I believe that the new structure will: • strengthen the charity’s clinical leadership • support our staff and build the delivery of excellent patient care
I believe the new structure will ensure that staff have the tools they need to deliver the best patient care possible.
• e nsure that staff delivering patient care have the tools they need to offer the best care possible It also means that our supporters across the UK can be sure that their donations are helping to provide care of the highest quality for patients and families. I will be out and about in the charity during November. I’ll be doing a clinical shift with the Marie Curie Nursing Service in Sheffield. I’ll also be meeting with staff (face to face and online) to discuss priorities for care in 2014 – look out for an event near you.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Dee Sissons on csfeedback@mariecurie.org.uk
Do you have a comment about the charity or one of our articles, or a suggestion for a story? Write to us at mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk Comments and letters may be edited.
November 2013 People 19
Noticeboard STAYING HEALTHY: Director of Nursing Dee Sissons receives her flu jab
60 SECONDS WITH...
Flu facts:
• Flu can kill. • The vaccine is one of the safest in the world. • The flu jab can’t give you the flu. • You need the vaccine every year. • Pregnant women can be vaccinated. • Healthy diets won’t prevent flu. • Handwashing won’t stop flu.
Free flu jabs to keep front line fit their Clinical Nurse Manager for more information about a free flu vaccine voucher. Those working in patient-facing roles at hospices should speak to their line manager. Director of Nursing Dee Sissons said: “I have just had my flu jab at the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead, and I’m urging everyone who works with patients
WRITE TO US
to make sure they get one. Our patients are seriously ill, so they are particularly vulnerable to flu. “Influenza is not a bad cold – it’s a really nasty illness. Make sure you stay healthy for work, and able to enjoy the festive season. Get your flu jab, and protect yourself, your loved ones and the patients, families and carers you work with.”
Do you have a birth, wedding, civil partnership, retirement or long service to celebrate? Send details and a photo to mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
SUDOKU
Marie Curie People sudoku sponsored by:
To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or maths involved, just use logic to solve. Find the solutions on page 12.
Play Sudoku and win prizes at:
prizesudoku.com
1 4 3 6 2 8 7
© Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
5 3 8 3 9 7 1 7 6 3 2 5 3 5 1 8 1 2 3 6 4 1 7 1 3 6 4 6 5
Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE.
6 1 9 4 1 6 8 2 9 8 5 3 2 1 8 7 5 9 6 7
6
© Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
Marie Curie Cancer Care is making free influenza vaccinations available to colleagues in frontline roles with patients. Jabs are available to colleagues in both the Marie Curie Nursing Service and at Marie Curie Hospices. Staff working with patients in the Marie Curie Nursing Service should contact
Simon Jones Simon Jones, Head of Policy and Public Affairs Wales, enjoys gardening, summer pudding and spending time with his children. You may recognise him from his appearance on the front page of The Sun. Q: How long have you worked for Marie Curie? 15 months. Q: What did you do before? I worked in an executive search company specialising in recruiting senior public sector staff in Wales, and before that – count the scars on my back – I was chair of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust for six years. Q: What are the three most important aspects of your job? Building networks, attempting to influence policy and strategy and telling Wales what wonderful work Marie Curie does. Q: Describe your typical day. Today I have met a Marie Curie Nurse to hear about NHS issues that frustrate her in her work, and written a brief for Chief Executive Jane Collins, who is meeting our Minister for Health, and a paper on Welsh language issues as they affect Marie Curie. I’ve read the minutes of a recent Assembly Health Committee and made three cups of tea. Q: What do you do when you’re not at work? Fly fishing, gardening and cooking – and ‘jobs’ (as my wife calls them). Q: If you were an animal what would you be? Anything inedible. Q: What makes you happy? My children (usually). Q: What makes you sad? Inequality in all its manifestations. Q: What did you want to be when you grew up? Taller. Q. What’s your favourite pudding? Summer pudding. Q: What was your favourite childhood TV programme? Lassie. Apparently I always cried. Q: Tell us a fascinating fact about yourself. I hosted Prince Harry’s first royal engagement and got my face on the front page of The Sun as a result. Q: Which five people, alive or dead, would you like to invite to dinner? Bob Dylan, Ernest Hemingway, Machiavelli, Rosa Parks and Chrissie Hynde.
Q UO TE P
EOP L
E1 3 A
ND SAV
E 10 %
ON YOUR CHRISTMAS CARD ORDER, ONLINE AND
PLU
S, B
UY 3
PACK S
OF CH
RI S T M
AS C AR
ON
DS A N D S
HO P E H T
AVE £1.50
Plus, buy 3 packs and save £1.50
To redeem your offer, simply enter the code PEOPLE13 at www.mariecurie.org.uk/shop or quote it over the phone when you call us on 0844 415 7845
Charity reg no. 207994 (England & 207994 Wales), SC038731 issueS464 Charity reg no. (England(Scotland) & Wales),S464_MCP_November SC038731 (Scotland)
Save 10% on your Christmas cards
Offer valid until 18 December 2013
NE