12 60 seconds with… Nicola Henawi nurse consultant palliative care Tell us about yourself I’ve worked at the RFL since 2005 and before that I was at St Bart’s Hospital and the Christie Hospital in Manchester. My background is in oncology and haematology and, during that time, I developed a passion for ensuring there was high quality palliative and end of life care available to everyone, regardless of diagnosis. I was drawn to the RFL because it has a really varied cohort of patients, not just cancer, and because of the collaborative nature of the work, which spans hospital and community. I’ve been very lucky during my career to have worked alongside inspiring people and their compassionate leadership and communication has impacted my approach. What matters to you? I enjoy the diversity of the role including developing and shaping services, as well as supporting and educating others. This in turn improves the experience for our patients and those important to them. I teach at degree and master’s level and lead the nursing teams for BH, RFH and North Camden Community Services. Last year we had approximately 3,200 palliative care referrals between the three. It’s a seven-day service with staff working across hospital and community settings. What are some of the challenges you face? One of the key challenges is recognising opportunities to identify patients early enough to have meaningful conversations about what matters most to them and their future care. We encourage staff to embrace these discussions openly and confidently, recognising their role to facilitate discussions and provide people with the opportunity to express what is important to them. With an ageing population and increasing frailty, demand is growing faster than resources, making collaboration and innovation essential. Earlier this year a partnership was established with Marie Curie clinicians working in the emergency department at the RFH. A similar initiative is in place at North Mid, although the model differs slightly. We have also developed specialist palliative nursing roles for renal and liver disease. While, as nurses, our instinct is often to respond immediately and address the problem in front of us, it is equally important to take a step back and think strategically about how we can improve care more broadly. That’s why audits like the National Audit of Care at the End of Life are so valuable, helping us identify opportunities for further improvement. What should we never lose sight of? Ultimately, it’s about listening to patients and their family and treating them with kindness, empathy, dignity and respect. The importance of this to the end-oflife experience should never be underestimated. The incredible emails we receive from families praising the care and support provided by the ward teams during a patient’s final days or weeks are powerful reminders of the lasting difference compassionate care can make, and we are always pleased to share this feedback with the staff involved. How do you like to unwind outside of work? After five years on a waiting list, I have finally got an allotment. It’s very much a work in progress as I’m starting from scratch but I find it really rewarding, including the prospect of eating my own vegetables. I also enjoy running and, together with some members of our team, we take part in the London Winter Run in February. Taking care of your wellbeing Every day, our staff go above and beyond to care for our patients. • 24/7 helpline contact Optima Health on 0800 174319. The team are available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. It’s confidential and free • Contact the Samaritans (on 116 123), NHS Helpline (111) or your GP • Cost of living worries can have a huge impact on our mental health – visit our financial wellbeing page on Freenet • Visit Freenet for a range of resources, information and other wellbeing tips
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