'Huge emotional impact' leads to end-of-life support team being nominated for Scottish Health Award
Losing a child is a scenario that no parent would want to go through - with the support network for families who endure this devastating experience often overlooked.
Now an end-of-life support team for children and their families has been nominated for a prestigious Scottish health award, in recognition of the “huge emotional impact” the work can have on staff.
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Hide AdNHS Dumfries and Galloway’s (NHS D&G) Capella team makes sure that every child who is at the end of their life is given the best possible care. CAPELLA stands for Community and Acute Paediatric End of Life Linked Attributes team, but its namesake is also one of the brightest stars in the sky.
The team’s aim is to provide care and support to patients and their families in the final few weeks of the child’s life, in the environment they choose. This could be at home, in the children’s ward or in one of the Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS).
Capella consists of registered nurses, health care support workers, and a local paediatrician. The team works closely with CHAS to provide some level of support, 24/7, in a way the patients and families need.
Laura Boyce, NHS D&G’s director of midwifery, said: “It has a huge emotional impact on the team. How they work as a team and how they support each other as a team is really important - to keep each other going and to support one another.
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Hide Ad“The team works very closely with families going through this, but that is also what is hugely rewarding, being there for families during this traumatic time. Knowing you’ve helped them even just a little bit is what can bring you joy in your work.”
Now, the team has been nominated for a category in Scotland’s Health Awards 2024, run in partnership with The Scotsman, the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, in recognition of their emotionally-challenging work.
The 2024 awards, due to be held in November, will celebrate the extraordinary achievements of those individuals and teams who go above and beyond to deliver compassionate, high-quality health and social care to the people of Scotland.
Ms Boyce said: “There are only two certainties in life - being born and dying.
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Hide Ad“Sadly children are not exempt from the latter. Thankfully in paediatrics - this happens for the majority of our patients - there is nothing better than seeing little ones recover and wave goodbye as they leave the ward.
“On the occasions that this does not happen, it is heart-breaking for everyone involved.”
The Capella team endeavours to listen to the wishes of each patient and family, which means the level of support may vary, depending on what it is they ask for.
There is a mix of face to face and over-the-phone support, and care can include allowing a child to be at home with equipment, medications, Capella and community team support, all within 24 hours of a family request.
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Hide AdAs well as administering medications, and providing basic cares, Capella workers allow families to have a break, “and even make cups of tea or assist with anything around the home”, said Ms Boyce.
“They can simply be at the end of the phone if it means making this devastating time a little easier,” she said.
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