Our talented team are Christmas champions, working right across the festive period, committed to ensuring our patients feel safe and comfortable at home or in our inpatient unit.

The expert palliative care we are known for doesn’t stop because of a bit of turkey and nut-roast.

Trinity’s care keeps going round-the-clock, 365 days a year thanks to our team continuing to care for patients. But Christmas is a day when they really go the extra mile to make it feel festive and special for those who celebrate.

We know how poignant a day Christmas can be, yet the staff on shift all describe Christmas as a happy occasion, as you will read below. From Chef James’s homecooked lunch, carols and crackers around the table in the inpatient unit or our Community Nurses and Royal Trinity Carers calling in to see people at home, Trinity goes all out.

Hear some of the stories from some of the staff that make it a special day for our patients and their loved ones:

 

David, Healthcare Assistant on the inpatient unit

“Last year I worked Christmas and Boxing Day and am happy to because I enjoy what I do as a Healthcare Assistant. We had a gentleman here last year who was so overwhelmed because he wasn’t sure if anyone would be able to visit him – but we were able to be there for him, bringing him his Christmas dinner and his Christmas present. Every year Trinity provides some sort of Christmas present for every patient. I like to show my dedication to the patients because they need the compassionate care. Some may not have a family so they’re  looking to us to be there for them and support them. I keep them cheerful at such a special time.”

Hear from James, our Chef

James, Chef 

“I start the day here before 7am and the first thing that is done is put the ovens on and the turkeys straight in. My colleague Jennifer will have basted them with her amazing set of seasonings and plenty of butter. The turkeys are pride of place, and everyone always compliments the spice and herbs that have been rubbed into the birds a few days beforehand to get plenty of flavour.

We do three large trays of potatoes which is almost a full 25kg sack of spuds (!), roast parsnips, brussel sprouts, carrots, pigs in blankets and all the other things that everyone loves. I have always ordered something separate for those who don’t eat meat and for those whose appetites and swallowing is not as strong as others.

We try to get everything ready for 1pm on the day. This is quite a task. All the food is brought up to the ward, served from a large trestle table where the patients always get served first, then the families. Finally, all of the staff working in the hospice on the day,  nurses, doctors, porters, cleaners and the community nurse on call get their lunch. There’s always a group that sit at the large table on the ground floor having Christmas lunch together. We have always got some Christmas crackers to make it as similar to what a family at home would do. Early evening, I get to hang up my chef’s apron and head home to my own family.”

  Nicky, Wandsworth End of Life Care Service Healthcare Assistant

 “Last year I worked Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I recall coming into the hospice and there were treats everywhere – cakes, chocolates. It was a good start to the day! I was on the morning shift, and I drove out to see quite a few patients at home – also offering me chocolate! For some, I would have been the first person they saw before their family came in later in the day. I spent time sitting with them, talking and offering them a cup of tea. I think it’s very important for us to be with patients on their own, it’s horrible being on your own during any major festivity. One of the people I visited was a woman in Wandsworth, in her early 80’s who had a witty character. At the end of her visit, I sat and watched some Christmas TV with her, spending time chatting.”

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It's not just the nursing teams that help out on Christmas day, staff from all across Trinity come in to lend a helping hand, including people from our facilities team like Mbolo:

Mbolo, Facilities Team

“I have worked the last seven Christmases and will be working this one too. I come in to make sure the rooms are clean, dusting and ensuring everyone has what they need. When I come into work, everyone is happy to be here, altogether. Sitting down to eat with the patients and their families is special. At the end of the day my son comes to pick me up and we travel back home for Christmas with my nine grandchildren!”

Rebecca is one of the Staff Nurses who is on shift on Christmas day, hear all about what happened last Christmas on the ward.

Rebecca, Staff Nurse on the inpatient unit

“My shift last Christmas started at 07:30am, finishing at 8pm in the evening and in some ways it’s an ‘ordinary’ day on the ward. You do all the “usuals”, check in on patients, the medication run and all the elements of a standard shift. However, it does feel different and for me, a really nice shift to work, because at lunch time all the families come in and there are lots of people to chat to.

The ward feels really Christmassy, there’s lots of decorations, we have the Christmas music going and lots of families bring in presents and we as staff also help distribute small gifts on the wards. We even had the idea at Trinity of using the electronic information screens to show a log fire on the go so it looked like you were sitting by the fire!”

Support our Christmas Appeal

If you would like to support Trinity this Christmas then you can support our appeal. No matter the amount, every little really does help and goes towards providing our care this Christmas.

Support our appeal