Ward Matron Sam Bennett heads up the nursing team on Martlets’ inpatient unit. She tells us why she’s looking forward to moving to the new Hospice and what it will mean for patient care.
“I started working for Martlets during the pandemic, and I know that the new building will bring so much to the patients and families we care for over the years to come. When I joined Martlets it was clear to me that all of the staff – whether working on our wards, in our community nursing team or as part of our outpatient services – were dedicated to providing compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their loved ones.
As a palliative care nurse of over 33 years, I know just how important the right space is in delivering hospice care. It’s a safe space to make memories with family, friends, or even our pets. It’s that door you can shut behind you to have the important conversations, knowing that all the expert care and support you could ever need is just a call-bell away.
I am so excited to move into the new Hospice because I know that for me, and colleagues across our services, it will mean the patients we care for receive the dedicated, dignified, and compassionate care they deserve.
The new building will house sustainable, safe and accessible facilities fit for the future, where people can receive the very best care and support. There will be 14 spacious, private, ensuite rooms for patient care, and larger ‘cuddle beds’ for patients to cuddle-up in with loved ones and family. These ‘cuddle beds’ were one of the things our patients requested for the new building when they were asked for their suggestions. So, it’s great to know that those are part of the plan.
All our bedrooms will have direct access to landscaped gardens. The outside space is so important for patients and visitors, as sitting amongst the plants listening to the birdsong is so nourishing. Our new sensory and memory gardens will be a lovely space to enjoy together.
Enhanced family and visitor areas will include a bright and airy café space and dedicated family room. Knowing there will be a dedicated space for loved ones will be so important to patients. The family room will be somewhere family and friends can be together to talk, to find comfort, and to just take a moment of peace for themselves. That moment can mean so much to people who are facing a bereavement.
Redesigned outpatient and community spaces including consultation, counselling and therapeutic rooms will transform our level of care. A specialised gym will also mean that our rehab team can offer physiotherapy and occupational therapy in a bespoke space, which will support so many patients in managing their symptoms. I’m also looking forward to seeing our beautiful new Sanctuary – a tranquil space for reflection and to find meaning.
We need your help to build this new home for hospice care for our local community, so we can continue helping people face end-of-life with dignity, hope, and love.
As palliative nurses, our work means we are spending last days and moments with people. It is a true privilege to spend this precious time with patients and their loved ones, and we want them to have the compassion, dignity, and privacy they deserve at the end of their lives. I hope that you and your friends will join us in making this incredible facility a reality for the people of Brighton & Hove, the Havens and Deans.”
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At Martlets, we support 3,000 people affected by terminal illness every year and we try to make every day count for those we care for. We help people to live their lives to the full in the time they have left. Martlets has been at the heart of Brighton & Hove since it opened its doors in 1997, and last year we celebrated our 25-year anniversary. Since then, expectations of hospice care and the facilities needed to provide end-of-life support have changed, and we need to change too. We need to spread our wings and build a new space to ensure the communities we serve can be treated with dignity and respect in their time of need. In our new building we can be there for people who need us for the next 25 years – and beyond.
Be a part of our moving story and support even more local families in your local community today. Support us here.
Published 12/07/2023